PAS Denies Abolishing Chairman Post, Contradicts Muhyiddin’s Claim

The Malaysian opposition coalition, Perikatan Nasional (PN), faces internal discord as its member party, Parti Se-Islam Malaysia (PAS), publicly refutes claims made by former chairman Muhyiddin Yassin regarding the abolition of the chairman position. This denial, issued by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, arises just one day after Muhyiddin, president of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), asserted that such a decision had been agreed upon during a coalition meeting.

In a letter dated January 28, 2024, addressed to the coalition’s other partners, Hadi clarified that while PAS supports the establishment of a presidential council to oversee coalition activities, the issue of eliminating the chairman role was not discussed in their recent meeting on January 16. The chairman position, which Muhyiddin vacated effective January 1, 2024, is significant as the new appointee is expected to be the coalition’s prime minister candidate for the upcoming general election, which must occur by early 2028.

Hadi emphasized, “With regard to the statement by Muhyiddin stating, ‘with the restructuring of PN, the position of PN chairperson is abolished and the matter of appointing a PN chairperson no longer arises,’ I wish to stress that this issue was never discussed or agreed to by our side.” He reaffirmed PAS’s position that the chairman role should remain intact.

The contents of Hadi’s letter were reported by local news outlets, and further commentary from PAS has been solicited. PN, which was established in February 2020, consists of four main parties: Bersatu, PAS, Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia (Gerakan), and the Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP). The latter two parties are generally regarded as minor players within the coalition.

Muhyiddin’s claims, stated in a letter on January 27, indicated that other coalition members, including PAS, had consented to the removal of the chairman position in an effort to resolve ongoing disputes regarding his successor. He proposed that PN would be managed by a new presidential council led by Bersatu, along with an executive council headed by PAS.

In response, Hadi suggested transforming PN’s existing supreme council into a new executive council tasked with managing the coalition and implementing its strategies. The proposed presidential council would serve as an advisory body to ensure the coalition’s policies and direction are maintained.

The discord within PN intensified following statements from PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan, who expressed dissatisfaction with the circulation of Muhyiddin’s letter. He indicated that PAS could not confirm the details within the correspondence and stated, “Our party will convey its position on the matter in writing to the presidents of PN member parties for their due attention.”

The timing of these developments is notable, as they coincide with Muhyiddin’s exclusion from a scheduled PN supreme council meeting intended to address his vacancy. He had previously called for this meeting to be canceled, instead inviting the presidents of PN’s component parties to gather at his residence.

Hadi previously indicated that PAS would assume leadership within PN, highlighting that several individuals from his party are qualified for the chairman role, despite suggesting he would not seek the position himself. This ongoing leadership dispute has left the coalition’s top position vacant since Muhyiddin’s resignation.

The political landscape has been further complicated by recent events in the northeastern state of Perlis, where a political crisis prompted the resignation of PAS’s Mohd Shukri Ramli from his chief minister role. This resignation followed the signing of eight statutory declarations by state assembly members retracting their support for him. As it stands, PAS holds six seats, while Bersatu has five, and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s Parti Keadilan Rakyat maintains one seat in the 15-member assembly.

In light of these developments, PAS has declared its commitment to support the stability of the state government while refusing to join the state executive council as a gesture of solidarity with the ousted Shukri.