The appointment of PAS vice-president Dato' Seri Dr. Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar as chairman of Perikatan Nasional (PN) may appear to signal unity within the opposition bloc. But beneath the surface, analysts warn that the real battle between Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) and Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) is only just beginning.
Presidential Council: Power Balancer or Power Grab?
At the centre of the storm is Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is expected to continue pushing for PN’s presidential council to be elevated above the Supreme Council as the coalition’s highest decision-making body. According to political analyst Azmi Hassan, this proposal is hardly subtle.
"It is clearly intended to limit the authority and power of the PN chairman,” Azmi observed. With Samsuri now holding the chairmanship, empowering the presidential council would effectively dilute PAS’s control. In that council, Muhyiddin is said to enjoy backing from smaller PN component parties, leaving PAS relatively isolated despite holding the top post.
PAS has denied earlier claims by Muhyiddin that it agreed to such restructuring. The disagreement has already spilled into public view, signalling that trust between the coalition’s two largest players remains fragile.
A Brewing Storm Over Hamzah
If the debate over the presidential council reflects a structural power struggle, a bigger political earthquake may be looming over the fate of opposition leader Dato' Seri Hamzah Zainudin.
After his sacking from Bersatu, Hamzah is reportedly preparing to form a new party alongside loyal MPs. Political scientist Prof. James Chin argues that the real battle in PN may revolve around whether Hamzah’s faction will be admitted into the coalition.
Hamzah claims the backing of 18 MPs - a significant bloc that could dramatically alter PN’s internal balance. Notably, he has displayed warm ties with PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang, sharing images of tea sessions with senior PAS leaders shortly after his expulsion.
If PAS backs Hamzah’s entry into PN, Bersatu could find itself politically weakened within the very coalition it helped found. Muhyiddin, once the undisputed captain, now reportedly commands only a small faction of MPs.
The “Two Captains” Problem
The proposal to strengthen the presidential council has also drawn warnings from analysts such as Syaza Shukri, who cautions against a “clash of captains.” If PN creates a dual structure - with both a chairman and a council head - it must clearly define who holds ultimate authority.
Without that clarity, PN risks paralysis ahead of the 16th general election. As analyst Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani put it bluntly: “Two captains on one ship will only create confusion.”
For now, PN leaders insist they are merely reviewing constitutional provisions to strengthen the coalition before polls. But behind the language of “improvement” lies a high-stakes chess game.
Chairmanship aside, the real question is not who holds the title - but who truly calls the shots. And as Bersatu and PAS manoeuvre for dominance, the battle for PN’s soul may prove far more consequential than any formal appointment.
By: Kpost
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