Who will be the 'Kamala Harris' of PN?

Is the popularity of Perikatan Nasional (PN) on the decline? If so, should the coalition put up a replacement like Kamala Harris?

President Joe Biden's decision to withdraw from the presidential race appears to be the best decision by the Democrats so far in recent years, breathing new life into their fight against the return of Donald Trump.

In his place, the party has nominated Vice-President Kamala Harris who has been giving Trump a run for his money.

The development could give pause for thought to political observers in many countries where political fatigue has set in among the masses as the same leaders dominate both the government and the opposition for decades.

In Malaysia, two of the main active political rivals - Anwar Ibrahim and Muhyiddin Yassin - are 77 years old and will turn 80 in the next elections.

While Anwar has been entrenching himself using the power of incumbency, there is an uneasy and quiet debate among PN supporters about the future of the coalition if no effort is made to challenge the current government with new faces.

The Nenggiri by-election could be a wake-up call for PN not to take for granted the tremendous support it received - and still receives - from a large section of Malays nationwide.

The aftermath of the election also saw Muhyiddin being on the defensive for a speech in which he recalled the now familiar facts surrounding Anwar's appointment as prime minister after the last general election.

Political analyst Liew Wui Chern said Muhyiddin and PN are somewhat facing a similar dilemma to that faced by the Democrats when their candidate was Biden.

However, he said that while there was a need for a transition, there was no need to rush.

He said there is currently a lack of a better alternative to Muhyiddin, but named some potential candidates.

"Within Bersatu, there are personalities like Azmin Ali and Hamzah Zainudin, and within PAS, Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar," Liew of Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman told MalaysiaNow.

Bersatu recently saw some of its main leaders coming together under a so-called unity plan.

The plan would see Muhyiddin remaining as president while his deputy Ahmad Faizal Azumu would make way for Hamzah, the party's secretary-general who is also leader of the opposition in the Dewan Rakyat.

The plan has also put to rest a much rumoured rift between Hamzah and Azmin, two leaders who have switched from parties they have long been associated with, and with loyal supporters critical to the party.

Nevertheless, James Chin believes that Muhyiddin's departure would trigger a power struggle in Bersatu.

He said Muhyiddin should have stuck to his earlier plan to step down, adding that "it is now too late as the next general election may be held earlier".

Chin recalled Bersatu's original aim to replace Umno.

"Whatever Bersatu does, will have to take into account what's happening in Umno as well."

Political analyst Rabi'ah Aminudin believes that it is time for Muhyiddin to make way for new faces.

She said this would not diminish Muhyiddin's standing as he would continue to be recognised for his contributions to Bersatu as he had built the party into an important part of Malaysia's political ecosystem.

"However, I think it is time to give room for other leaders to steer the party, especially as PAS is seen to be more dominant as a partner in PN in terms of influence at the grassroots," Rabi'ah, who teaches political science at the International Islamic University, told MalaysiaNow.

In the 2022 general election, PAS won the most seats in Parliament, but the Islamist party, which has a history of collaborating with almost all major parties in the country, does not traditionally claim a leadership role.

Rabi'ah said Muhyiddin's successor will have his work cut out for him.

"The new leader must strengthen Bersatu at the grassroots level and find a direction with a new narrative. It is not enough to just rely on Malay sentiment," she said.

Muhyiddin was widely seen as an accidental prime minister who came to power to fill the vacuum left by Dr Mahathir Mohamad's sudden resignation in 2020, just as the Covid-19 pandemic was beginning.

In August 2021, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi led about a dozen MPs to revoke their support for Muhyiddin, leaving him with no choice but to step down after 17 months at the helm of Malaysia's fight against the pandemic.

Veteran Malay politics observer Ahmad Atory Hussain said Bersatu's failure to retain Nenggiri for PN should be seen as a sign that the party needs fresh blood.

Atory warned PN about the continuation of Anwar's government, which is bad news for the coalition as the prime minister has been clamping down on opposition leaders using draconian laws.

"Without a transition of power from Muhyiddin to younger leaders, it is likely that Anwar will continue to rule Malaysia after the next general election even though his leadership is very unpopular," he added.

Nur Ayuni Mohd Isa of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) said PN should make way for a PAS leader as the coalition's prime ministerial candidate.

She said Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar was the perfect choice as the 54-year-old aerospace engineer not only belonged to the younger generation of PAS but also had strong academic and professional qualifications.

"Samsuri has the necessary qualifications and experience and is a technocrat," said Nur Ayuni from UPM's Department of Government and Civilization Studies.

Liew, however, said the reservations of non-Muslims against PAS, coupled with widespread Islamophobia, make it difficult for a prime minister to emerge from the party in the near future.

"Many variables remain. So for now, Muhyiddin remains the best option for prime minister, as he does not have an immediate successor like Biden has with Kamala."