KUALA LUMPUR, March 21 — The Opposition pact’s ambition to win federal power could stumble on Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) difficulty in convincing young and undecided voters, according to BMI Research.

The Fitch Group unit noted growing discontent among these two voter segments towards the PH pact that is hoping to defeat the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition for the first time in history.

Despite the pact’s attempts to woo young voters in its election manifesto, BMI Research believed that their disillusionment with politics may already be entrenched.

Youth voters are traditionally anti-establishment and more likely to be sympathetic to PH, whereas BN customarily depends on older, more conservative support.

“We are seeing signs that the younger population could choose to sit out or spoil their votes, with neither coalition seeming like a viable alternative.

“The UndiRosak (spoilt vote) campaign has been gaining traction online, where voters are urged to spoil their votes to signal their displeasure with both coalitions,” it said.

Similar problems await the pact with undecided voters, which it is counting on to provide the crucial swing vote needed to unseat BN from battleground states as well as Putrajaya.

BMI Research projected that undecided voters may abstain in the 14th general elections and lower the turnout.

Much of PH’s chances will ride on Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) that is tasked with winning over the Malay vote, particularly in rural areas.

However, BMI Research said the prospects of PPBM’s success are vague as the party’s strength and support are not clearly established.

“With DAP having almost cornered the urban Chinese vote (especially in strongholds Penang and Selangor), it is likely that the battle for votes will be waged among the Malays and Indians, making it difficult to determine if PH’s election bid will be successful.”

However, all this could be moot as PPBM may cease to exist by the end of the month.

The party is in trouble with the Registrar of Societies, which it owes documents needed to prevent its deregistration and which PPBM president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin previously said could not be provided by the given deadline.