KUCHING: DAP, PKR and Amanah will not be using the Pakatan Harapan logo in the upcoming Sarawak election as the coalition is in disarray, experts say.
Universiti Putra Malaysia's political scientist Prof Datuk Dr Jayum Jawan said the three parties in Sarawak did not share a solid political ideology which could have instead close their ranks.
"The decision to use of their respectiveparty logos goes to show what many already knew about PH and its allies - PKR, DAP and Amanah and they come together out of convenience to gain power."
"Unlike the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), they don't have a solid ideology, political framework or the moderation to bind them together," he told New Straits Times.
"They strike a (an image of) compromise in public but behind the scenes, they are bickering," he said.
However, political analyst Associate Professor Dr Azmi Hassan said it was strategically correct for PH, especially DAP and PKR to run under separate banners.
He said the two parties were more well-known on their own as DAP and PKR instead of PH.
"It is a good strategy as DAP's rocket is more well-known in certain areas while PKR's blue eye symbol may give them the advantage in garnering votes even without (former PKR Sarawak chairman) Baru Bian, who had quit the party last year," he said.
"But, of course, this also gives a perception that two opposition parties cannot come to terms in the Sarawak election, which is correctly so, especially on a few seats," he added.
Azmi also said the political scenario in Sarawak differ from the peninsula, where the PH logo was well-known.
In the 14th general election, Sarawak DAP had also decided to keep its logo to maximise its winning chances despite the decision to use PKR's in the peninsula.
Jayum said even by using their respective party logos, PKR and Amanah might not be able to improve their chances in Sarawak, especially among the Malays, Melanau and Muslims.
"The two parties are seen as outsiders or peninsula-based parties, which represent a conservative approach to politics; PKR, a peninsular Malay type of mind-set, while Amanah with its Pas-eque direction, albeit softened somehow," he explained.
Nevertheless, DAP had a pull-factor within the Chinese community and is competing against the Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) for the community's support.
"But this time around, DAP may have some difficulties to retain their seats due to some failures on meeting the many promises made even when it was part of the federal government between 2018 and 2020,"
On Thursday, Sarawak PH chairman Chong Chieng Jen said DAP, PKR and Amanah would be using their respective party logos in the 12th Sarawak election slated to be held on Dec 18.
He said DAP would be contesting in 26 seats, PKR in 47 and Amanah in nine.
