Kuala Lampur, Aug. 16 -- The supposed wave of Malay-Muslim unity created by the combination of Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional deserves considerably more scrutiny than it has received.

What looks like a wave may actually be something considerably more tactical: an electoral power play designed to overwhelm Pakatan Harapan by concentrating votes against it under Malaysia's first-past-the-post electoral system.

This distinction matters.

Even the hype is somewhat of a sensationalism to put Pakatan Harapan on the back foot. With defeats in Sabah, Johor and Negeri Sembilan, there seems to be a "wave".

Only that partisans who see a "wave" do not understand that this is not necessarily the truest form of Malay-Muslim unity, which is ...