KUALA LUMPUR – Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is battling to retain control of Bersatu as his influence within Perikatan Nasional appears to be waning, political analysts say, amid shifting power dynamics in the opposition bloc ahead of the 16th General Election.
Associate Professor Mazlan Ali, director of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, said Muhyiddin’s recent moves point to a leader intent on holding on to his position.
“Muhyiddin still wants to continue leading Bersatu. That is why he is fighting to defend his post,” Mazlan told Scoop.
However, he said the former prime minister’s political options are narrowing, particularly after Bersatu’s decision to sack Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin.
“The dismissal of Hamzah triggered strong support for him, and Muhyiddin appeared increasingly sidelined. PAS, Bersatu’s strongest ally, seems more aligned with Hamzah than with Muhyiddin,” he said.
Mazlan believes Bersatu risks being marginalised within PN if Muhyiddin remains at the helm.
“Under Muhyiddin, Bersatu could find itself pushed to the margins in PN. It may even have to consider contesting on its own in GE16 or exploring cooperation with other coalitions,” he added.
He also suggested that Muhyiddin may struggle to secure the same level of backing from PAS as Hamzah.
“Muhyiddin may find it harder to obtain PAS support, and his political influence within PN may not be as strong as before,” he said.
Mazlan did not rule out the possibility of Muhyiddin attempting to consolidate smaller PN component parties such as Gerakan, Putra, MAIPP and Berjasa into a new alignment.
“He could try to unite smaller parties within PN to form a new front,” he said.
Meanwhile, socio-political analyst Datuk Professor Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi of the Academy of Malay Studies at Universiti Malaya said Muhyiddin’s immediate priority appears to be political survival rather than reclaiming the premiership.
“The most realistic path for him to remain relevant is to maintain influence by managing the coalition within PN or repositioning himself as an experienced statesman,” Awang Azman said.
On speculation that Bersatu might contest alone in the next general election, he described such a move as risky and unlikely.
“The major risks include vote splitting, weaker party machinery and the loss of leverage in seat negotiations,” he said, adding that even if Bersatu stays within PN, Muhyiddin’s dominance is no longer guaranteed.
As for the prospect of forming a new Malay-based political coalition under Muhyiddin’s leadership, Awang Azman said it would be challenging, despite being theoretically possible.
“It is not impossible, but it would require funding, safe seats and a strong unifying narrative. As PAS grows stronger, smaller parties may prefer to remain under PAS’ umbrella,” he said.
More broadly, he noted that the centre of gravity in opposition politics is increasingly shifting towards PAS.
With PAS consolidating its position within PN, analysts say both Muhyiddin and Hamzah now face pivotal decisions that could shape their political futures ahead of GE16. – February 21, 2026
The post Muhyiddin at crossroads as PAS influence grows within PN: Analysts appeared first on Scoop.
