As the dust from the 15th General Election settles, Perikatan Nasional (PN) faces an escalating internal power struggle, with PAS seeking to position itself as the coalition's best choice for the prime ministerial post.
Despite holding 43 parliamentary seats, making it the largest bloc within PN, PAS still struggles to win the confidence of Bersatu and PN’s other allies for this pivotal role.
PAS’s Bid for Leadership
PAS leaders argue they meet essential leadership criteria, such as being Malay-Muslim, maintaining strong ties with the monarchy, ensuring fairness, and creatively managing state resources. Sura Assemblyman Tengku Fakhruddin Fauzi and PAS Spiritual Leader Datuk Hashim Jasin have emphasized these points. Jasin further contended that PAS’s strong grassroots machinery and political presence in four states ie. Perlis, Kedah, Terengganu, and Kelantan make it the natural leader of PN.
Yet, analysts highlight a significant hurdle: convincing Bersatu and PN’s broader leadership. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia’s Mazlan Ali noted that PAS has yet to gain the trust of Bersatu’s top brass, including party President Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and deputy Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin.
Additionally, coalition ally Gerakan President Dominic Lau also refuted Hashim’s assertion, stating that the qualifications for a prime minister should not be solely based on a party’s number of parliamentary seats or the strength of its grassroots support.
Bersatu’s Dominance
Bersatu, despite its reduced parliamentary representation (25 MPs after several defections to the government), maintains a firm grip on PN’s leadership. Muhyiddin remains PN’s “poster boy,” with his vice-president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu reaffirming this position. PAS’s ambitions face resistance from Bersatu’s insistence on continuity and stability within the coalition.
Furthermore, recent tensions between Muhyiddin and PAS President Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang, reportedly due to diverging strategies and leadership ambitions, complicate the coalition's unity. Allegations of a strained relationship emerged following PAS’s push to consider Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar as a potential prime ministerial candidate.
The Dilemma of Dependence
PAS’s stronghold among Malay voters offers undeniable leverage. However, analysts like Mazlan Ali and Azmi Hassan argue that PAS still needs Bersatu to expand its appeal to non-Malay communities.
Without broader coalition support, PAS risks being confined to its strongholds and falling short of its Putrajaya ambitions.
External Criticism
UMNO's Datuk Dr. Mohd Puad Zarkashi dismissed PN’s capacity to produce a prime ministerial candidate with credibility, citing its leaders’ contentious relationship with the monarchy.
His remarks were in response to a statement by PN Supreme Council Member Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal, who asserted that PN's candidate for Prime Minister must have a strong relationship with the monarchy. "Wan Ahmad Fayhsal claimed that PN has no issues identifying a Prime Minister candidate for the 16th General Election, emphasizing that the key criterion is a good rapport with the palace.
If that’s the case, none of PN's leaders qualify, as they defied the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's advice by holding a gathering at the Palace of Justice on January 6, 2025," Puad noted in a Facebook post.
The Rengit State Assemblyman also pointed out that this applied to Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who had openly dismissed the Yang di-Pertuan Agong's advice to join the Unity Government after the 15th General Election. "Particularly Muhyiddin, who rejected the palace’s counsel to join the Unity Government.
Moreover, the Malay rulers turned down his proposal to extend the state of emergency and suspend Parliament. Ultimately, leveraging palace sentiments for political gain is unacceptable," he added.
Besides Muhyiddin, Wan Ahmad Fayhsal also mentioned other potential candidates for Prime Minister, including PPBM Deputy President Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, PAS Deputy President Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, and PAS Vice President Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar.
Adding fuel to the debate, DAP's Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng questioned the absence of Abdul Hadi Awang’s name from PN’s list of potential prime ministerial candidates, hinting at underlying fractures within the coalition.
The Road Ahead
For PAS to solidify its claim to leadership, it must first resolve internal disputes within PN and present a united front. The race to Putrajaya will demand more than strong rhetoric and parliamentary seats; it will require strategic alliances and a vision that transcends individual party interests.
In the high-stakes game of Malaysian politics, PAS must navigate the complexities of coalition politics or risk being overshadowed by its allies over its own ambitions.
By: Kpost
Information Source:
Fmt , Fmt , UmnoOnline , Malaysiakini
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