PN presidential council no longer relevant for PAS, say analysts

PETALING JAYA: A push to revive the proposed Perikatan Nasional (PN) presidential council may no longer be relevant, especially for PAS, which has grown dominant within the coalition, analysts said.

Syaza Shukri of International Islamic University Malaysia said PAS had little incentive to back the council’s establishment, having already consolidated its hold on PN’s future direction following the appointment of its vice-president, Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, to replace Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin as coalition chairman.

She said PAS would be unlikely to support any new coalition management structure that could threaten the chairman’s position.

“The existence of a presidential council is also seen as linked to Bersatu’s attempt to obtain veto power in the coalition,” she told FMT.

“To me, it will be an overlap of functions. Why should it exist when all party presidents are already supposed to be PN deputy chairmen?”

Her remarks came after Bersatu Supreme Council member Dr Afif Bahardin called for the council to be revived. The idea was first floated in January.

The proposal emerged following Muhyiddin’s resignation as PN chairman during the Perlis political crisis, when a menteri besar post held by PAS was transferred to Bersatu.

Afif’s call came as tensions within PN flared again after PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said the Islamic party would re-examine its alliance with Bersatu.

Mazlan Ali of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia said Hadi’s firmness on several issues, including allegations that Bersatu had rejected a new party’s application out of concern it could become a platform for Larut MP Hamzah Zainudin, demonstrated PAS’s growing strength.

He said PAS, with 43 MPs and control of three state governments, could now be seen as the “big brother” in PN.

“PAS already has its own strength through the Malay-Islamic narrative that forms the backbone of its grassroots support.

“Hadi’s statement about reviewing the relationship with Bersatu shows PAS no longer sees the PN presidential council as an important platform for joint decision-making,” he said.

المصدر: Free Malaysia Today