YOU know your political party has done a good marketing campaign when your voters easily identify you with a certain feature.
When PAS is mentioned, Malays recall a religious party that runs fully on the concept of Islam.
UMNO, on the other hand, brings thoughts of Malay rights and supremacy to the forefront. In other words, voters vote for PAS if they seek passage into eternal heaven.
Voters vote for UMNO if they give weight to the material world. But is it possible for Malaysians Malays to be Malays and Muslims without the need of any of these two parties?
Are their presence so fundamental towards the spiritual and material wellbeing of the Malays that their departure would mean catastrophe to the average Malaysian Malay?
According to @adamyusuf88, the answer is a huge no and he sums up the situation with these words, “Without PAS we are still Islam. Without UMNO we are still Malays. Understand?”
Faham ke faham?
Negeri Sembilan elok dah#KekalHarapan pic.twitter.com/hu2hGzqDZK
— Adam Yusuf (@adamyusuf88) July 20, 2026
When fiery statements such as these are uttered, expect a heated discussion to happen, and our local netizens do not disappoint.
“That’s true, but there are also those who identify as Malay and Muslim yet subscribe to liberal and socialist ideologies,” said @an_anonymo38142.
Another netizen felt that it was icky to vote for a non-Malay who prayed to a “kafir” as their religion.
The comment section is becoming more and more religious by the moment.
Then there was @MHDNR80 claiming that more roads and places will have DAP names.
Check out the photo comments too:
Also, @Asurama74348559 believed the Malays will not realise their bumiputera rights are slowly vanishing from Malaysia.
@Muhammadiz54733 in a word play said that without PH, we are still citizens of Malaysia who love peace and stability.
As always, Malaysian politics proves that the comment section can be more entertaining than Parliament itself.
Whether one agrees with the statement or not, the debate serves as a reminder that political identities are rarely as simple as party slogans. After all, being Malay or Muslim is an identity, while supporting a political party is ultimately a choice made at the ballot box.
Love them or loathe them, PAS and UMNO remain two of the most recognisable political brands in Malaysia. Judging from the thousands of comments, they also continue to live rent-free in many Malaysians’ minds.—July 21, 2026
Main image: New Straits Times Press
