PAS information chief Ahmad Fadli Shaari has dismissed allegations that his party is seeking to seize control of Perikatan Nasional (PN), arguing instead that internal power struggles within Bersatu are destabilising the opposition coalition at a critical moment.
Speaking in Kuala Lumpur on January 30, 2026, Ahmad Fadli said claims portraying PAS as power-hungry were misplaced and ignored political realities following the 15th General Election. He pointed out that PAS had emerged as the strongest party within PN in terms of parliamentary seats, yet chose not to demand the coalition’s top leadership position at the time. That decision, he stressed, reflected restraint rather than ambition.
According to Ahmad Fadli, PAS’s current call for leadership changes within PN is driven by concern over prolonged infighting inside Bersatu, which he said has begun to weaken the coalition’s cohesion and distract it from preparations for the 16th General Election. He maintained that PAS’s priority is restoring stability so PN can refocus on policy direction, grassroots mobilisation and electoral readiness.
He explained that PAS only raised the issue of PN’s chairmanship after signs emerged that unresolved disputes among Bersatu leaders were spilling over into coalition affairs. From PAS’s perspective, the leadership question had become unavoidable as uncertainty persisted and strategic decisions stalled, creating risks for the opposition’s broader prospects.
Ahmad Fadli rejected accusations that PAS was obsessed with positions or titles, noting that the party had previously handed over the opposition leadership role to Bersatu despite holding the numerical advantage within PN. That move, he said, would not have happened if PAS were driven by personal or partisan gain.
He also criticised a small group of leaders within Bersatu whom he accused of projecting their own political anxieties onto PAS. Ahmad Fadli suggested that some figures who aligned themselves with Bersatu after the last election were now attempting to deflect criticism by portraying PAS as the source of PN’s internal tensions.
Emphasising the stakes ahead, Ahmad Fadli warned that continued disputes over leadership could erode public confidence in PN as a viable alternative government. He argued that voters were more concerned with unity, discipline and preparedness than with internal rivalries or personal ambitions.
In his view, PAS’s intervention should be seen as an effort to steady the coalition rather than dominate it. He reiterated that without decisive steps to resolve leadership uncertainty, PN risked entering the next general election divided and unprepared.
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