Differing ideologies may prevent expansion of PSM-Muda alliance, says analyst

PETALING JAYA: Differing ideologies are the main barrier preventing Muda and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) from forging alliances with other parties, according to an analyst.

The Asia Group associate vice-president Asrul Sani said that while the two parties consider themselves to be “progressive”, their distinct political philosophies make broader cooperation unlikely.

He said the likes of PAS, Berjasa, Putra and Iman possess different political identities, noting that they are generally more conservative and Muslim-focused.

That makes formal cooperation with a more progressive bloc difficult, since voters cannot identify the common platform they share, he said.

“The Umno-DAP relationship shows how hard this can be. Even in government, both sides still have to manage grassroots discomfort after decades of rivalry.

“Umno-Bersatu shows the other problem. Even parties chasing the same Malay voter base can struggle to work together, since they are competing for the same seats and leadership role,” he told FMT.

However, Asrul said that the bigger constraint faced by the “progressive bloc” is not one of ideology, but of leverage.

Muda and PSM, he said, currently lack significant electoral weight, as neither party has been able to consistently deliver large vote banks and win seats — a limitation that affects their ability to shape negotiations and set conditions for cooperation.

Given the crowded opposition space, larger parties are more likely to ask what Muda and PSM bring to the table than adapt their positions to accommodate them, said Asrul.

“Before they can shape opposition politics, they first need to demonstrate that they have meaningful electoral support.

“Any engagement would likely be driven by electoral calculations rather than policy alignment.”

Last Monday, Muda and PSM officially announced the formation of a political alliance called the “progressive bloc” ahead of the Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections.

The bloc is aimed at presenting voters with a shared platform centred on progressive policies.

The two parties said they remain open to discussions with other parties and groups that share similar political aspirations and policy positions.

However, James Chin of the University of Tasmania, questioned whether the two parties could translate their political message into electoral gains, noting that both have struggled to build a consistent voter base.

He said Muda’s previous breakthrough, which saw it win a Johor state seat in 2022, was on the back of support from Pakatan Harapan.

“Now that they’re no longer part of PH, people doubt whether Muda can even win one seat.”

However, Chin said attention in the upcoming Johor and Negeri Sembilan elections  may be drawn towards attempts by Muda and PSM to position themselves as a third force, much like Bersama.

“The Muda-PSM cooperation remains significant as it preserves a space in Malaysia for progressive politics, he said.