All hope for a ceasefire among the divided opposition may be dashed if Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng calls for a snap election in the state, analysts warned.

"If they go into the snap election without mending ties with PAS, that would basically burn the bridges with some of PAS' leaders who are starting to talk about going back to the opposition," Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia professor Faisal Hazis told Malaysiakini.

PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man had recently made a personal call for the opposition parties to set aside their differences and to train their guns on their "real enemy", BN.

While there have been no concrete steps towards this, Ideas chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan said a snap election would force the opposition to seek a truce.

However, Wan Saiful said, this could disintegrate during seat negotiations.

"We need to remember that in Penang, PAS does play quite a big factor and Amanah may not be as strong as PAS just yet. That dynamic is important.

"The seat negotiations between PAS and Amanah won't be easy... and that may result in the ceasefire not happening," he said.

Faisal said the repercussions of this would extend beyond just the Penang state election.

"If this happens it would be difficult to re-initiate the opposition coalition as the next general election approaches."

However, both analysts feel that the opposition can still maintain a hold on Penang.

Meanwhile, Wan Saiful said holding a snap election to rally support for Lim would be a wrong strategy as it would not stop the corruption proceedings against the chief minister.

"They should focus on winning the court case, not the court of public opinion."

He said DAP already won public sympathy when Lim was charged with corruption, and the sentiment would grow stronger if he were jailed.

This means Penang is safely in DAP's hands, regardless if the state government holds a snap election or waits for the 14th general election in 2018, Wan Saiful said.