The political landscape in Malaysia continues to demonstrate the fluidity of alliances, with parties shifting between positions of indispensability and disposability depending on evolving circumstances. Recent developments underscore how rapidly former allies can become expendable and then regain utility.
On August 31, DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke posted a cryptic message on social media—“HABIS manis, sepah dibuang,” which translates to “used and discarded.” While Loke did not specify whom he meant, speculation points to Ong Kian Ming, the former Bangi MP who resigned from DAP days earlier. Ong cited a personal commitment to campaign for former Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin in the upcoming general election, without immediate plans to join another party or contest a seat himself.
This episode reflects a broader pattern in Malaysian politics, where strategic partnerships are often temporary and contingent. For instance, the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) highlighted the contrasting stances of parties such as DAP when it mocked calls to revisit the discontinuation of corruption charges against Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Ahmad Zahid was granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal by the Kuala Lumpur High Court in September 2023, despite a prima facie case having been established earlier. Critics from PAS noted that such legal challenges were downplayed when DAP sought Umno’s support to form a government but have since resurfaced as points of contention.
Historically, Malaysian political history is marked by alliances that rapidly shift based on power calculations. The 2020 Sheraton Move, which toppled the Pakatan Harapan government, highlighted Umno’s role as a critical ally for then-Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. Although Umno’s parliamentary strength was vital to forming a majority, Muhyiddin subsequently sidelined its leadership, leaving Ahmad Zahid without a ministerial portfolio. This marginalization persisted until Zahid orchestrated a political maneuver that contributed to the fall of Muhyiddin’s administration after 17 months.
Similarly, in the 2018 general election, Pakatan Harapan courted Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to dismantle the long-standing Barisan Nasional government. Dr Mahathir was positioned as an essential figurehead, ultimately becoming prime minister. However, internal coalition conflicts led to his political isolation within less than two years, culminating in the Sheraton Move that reshaped the political order once more.
The current unity government formed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim after the 15th general election also relies heavily on Umno’s 30 parliamentary seats to maintain a governing majority. Yet, Umno’s strategic positioning at the state level suggests a potential shift away from cooperation with Pakatan Harapan, seeking instead alliances with Perikatan Nasional or asserting independent influence in states like Johor, Negri Sembilan, and Melaka.
Bersatu’s trajectory further exemplifies the volatility of political alliances. Once a leading party within Perikatan Nasional under Muhyiddin’s leadership, Bersatu fractured due to internal divisions between factions loyal to deputy president Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin and party president Muhyiddin. The fallout eventually linked Bersatu with the Wawasan coalition, bridging ties between Ahmad Zahid and PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang. Consequently, Bersatu and Muhyiddin have become marginalized within the broader Perikatan bloc.
Despite this, Bersatu may emerge as a strategic asset once again. Given its history as a former Pakatan partner instrumental in defeating Barisan Nasional in 2018, Bersatu could re-enter alliances with former rivals to capture Malay-majority constituencies increasingly dominated by the Umno-PAS-Wawasan alignment.
These shifts illustrate a persistent dynamic in Malaysian politics: parties and leaders frequently alternate between being indispensable “madus” (sweet honey) and discarded “sepahs” (leftovers), with alliances formed and dissolved in response to changing political necessities. As contestations intensify ahead of the next polls, the recalibration of such relationships remains a key feature of the nation's political environment.