Pakatan Harapan and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) need to get PAS on board if they want a better chance to beat BN in the next general election, analysts say.

"Without PAS they will have a very difficult time (fighting BN)," Universiti Malaysia Sarawak lecturer and political pundit Jeniri Amir told Malaysiakini.

Ideas chief executive Wan Saiful Wan Jan agreed that the opposition might have a fighting chance if the top PAS leadership can be convinced to work together with Harapan and Bersatu.

Jeniri and Wan Saiful were commenting on the pact signed by Harapan and Bersatu yesterday on formal cooperation between them.

Among others, both sides agreed that they would only participate in straight fights against BN in the 14th general election.

They also agreed to talk to other parties that have not signed the pact about straight fights.

Pundits and political veterans have both warned that multi-cornered fights in the election would give BN an advantage.

Deadline for PAS

Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin said he would give PAS until next year to decide whether it would work on an electoral pact with the opposition.

However, PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (photo) has declared that the party would not work with DAP and Harapan member Amanah.

Tuan Ibrahim also said the party would not compromise on re-contesting the 70 seats that it fought for in the last general election.

On Sunday, Amanah president Mohamad Sabu said he was confident that his party can seize Kelantan and Terengganu, both of which are PAS strongholds.

Wan Saiful said it is likely that the opposition would blame PAS should BN remain in power after the next general election.

"It is a bit unfair to put all the burden on PAS, but unfortunately, this party has to decide whether it wants to prioritise defeating BN or implementing syariah law," he said.

'The middle path'

Wan Saiful believes that if PAS was certain that BN would lose in GE14, it would not want to be on the losing side.

Jeniri said that by deciding to work with Harapan instead of joining it, Bersatu had put itself in a favourable position to 'pujuk' (coax) PAS to work with the other opposition parties.

"This is the middle path, this way Bersatu will not appear to be too close to Amanah and DAP," he said.

Wan Saiful added that this situation would also help Bersatu - an Umno splinter party - to woo its target voters who may not trust DAP.

Umno at its annual assembly this year painted DAP as a scourge to Malay rights and privileges, warning that these would be eroded should the opposition come to power.

Umno president and Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak also hinted during the AGM that the general election would be held soon, although a date has yet to be revealed.