Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara said Amanah stands a better chance in Kelantan compared with Umno or PKR.
“It might look like an uphill battle at first glance since this is Kelantan, but if you compare Amanah, Umno and PKR, I believe Amanah has a better chance than the other two parties,” he told FMT.
He said this was because Amanah is a splinter party of PAS, and is viewed by many PAS supporters and people outside the political arena as a progressive party with professionals as MPs. Many of these professionals were originally from PAS, he added.
Azmi also said that although Amanah may not be doing well nationally, they could do well in Kelantan.
“I think they are the best bet, as the other two parties each have their shortcomings when it comes to Kelantan. I also think Amanah should focus not only on Kelantan but also on Terengganu,” he said.
Ilham Centre executive director Hisomuddin Bakar is confident Amanah is capable of meeting its target given the party’s presence in the federal government.
“Amanah’s target of winning more than 10 seats in Kelantan is a realistic goal based on the current political cooperation between the Pakatan Harapan (PH) component parties and Barisan Nasional (BN) through the unity government,” he said.
He explained that this projection is due to an expected shift in support towards Amanah in Kelantan. However, he said both Amanah and Umno must ensure proper seat distribution.
Hisomuddin said seats like Gua Musang, Kuala Krai Machang, Tanah Merah and Jeli are among the potentially favourable constituencies for the unity government, while PAS remains strong in areas like Pasir Putih, Bachok, Pengkalan Chepa, Pasir Mas and Rantau Panjang.
“I feel that Amanah is aware that they must shoulder a heavy task in facing PAS and Bersatu in such Malay-majority areas,” he said, adding that Amanah and Umno must work closely on strategy to reclaim control in these areas from Perikatan Nasional.
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