Research shows that Umno-splinter party Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) is struggling to win over Felda settlers, especially those in Pahang, where the bulk of such settlements are located.

Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin previously claimed that the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) settlements could no longer be relied upon as Umno strongholds as opposition events in such areas have supposedly drawn large turnouts.

After spending more than two months in Pahang, independent research unit Ilham Centre’s executive director Hisommuddin Bakar and his team found instead that the issues brought forward by Bersatu had failed to resonate with the needs of the settlers there...