PAS calls for greater prominence but Malaysia’s opposition coalition will likely stick together: Analysts

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN) is grappling with internal tensions between its key parties - Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) and Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) - as both vie for key leadership positions, according to experts. 

But analysts told CNA that while PAS “naturally” would feel that they should play a bigger role in the coalition’s leadership, as the party with the lion’s share of seats in parliament, both key parties are aware that they “need each other to maintain power” and take on the government in the next general elections. 

“Perikatan Nasional will stick together because they don’t have a choice. Bersatu will have no leverage without PAS and PAS would not have leverage without the smaller numbers (secured by Bersatu),” said Professor of Asian Studies at the University of Tasmania, James Chin. 

At its seventh annual general meeting held over the weekend, Bersatu’s party president Muhyiddin Yassin pledged to lead the party towards securing control of the government in the upcoming 16th general election due by 2027. 

“I pledge to carry the mandate entrusted to me by Bersatu members and the grassroots, as unanimously agreed upon at last year’s AGM, to continue my duties as president until we successfully reclaim our position in Putrajaya,” the former prime minister said in his policy speech on Saturday (Nov 30), as quoted by the Malay Mail. 

A number of party members spoke out to reaffirm support for Muhyiddin as the coalition’s prime ministerial candidate.

“I am confident that all of us, the representatives as well as the grassroots of Bersatu will continue to uphold and defend the position of the president as the chairman of PN,” Mr Ahmad Faizal Azumu, the newly elected vice-president of Bersatu, said on Sunday in his closing remarks at Bersatu’s AGM. 

On Friday, the new chief of Bersatu’s youth wing Armada, Muhammad Hilman Idham emphasised that Muhyiddin is the “number one leader in PN" and would remain to lead the coalition to win Putrajaya.

“Tan Sri (Muhyiddin) is the supreme commander of Bersatu and Perikatan Nasional,” Mr Muhammad Hilman said in his policy speech, as quoted by local media.

However, some PAS members called for greater prominence for the coalition’s largest party. 

Last month, PAS spiritual advisor Hashim Jasin urged PN to hold discussions on its chairmanship and its candidate for prime minister in the next general election. 

“The matter needs to be negotiated (by all PN component parties) instead of being decided by one party only. The negotiations have to be based on current realities and the strength of the respective component parties," he said, as quoted by Free Malaysia Today on Nov 22.

He added that his party is more deserving of leading the opposition coalition since it has more federal seats, a longer record in parliament and a proven political network across the country. 

“PAS as the party with most seats in parliament as opposed to Bersatu, would naturally feel that they should have a bigger role in leading the coalition into the next election,” Ms Aira Azhari, acting chief executive officer for the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) think tank, told CNA. 

PAS now controls 43 out of the 67 parliamentary seats under the coalition’s control with Bersatu holding the remaining 25, according to latest data from the Malay Mail. 

“Considering leadership qualifications, I believe PAS is better suited to lead, given our larger number of (parliamentary) seats and stronger nationwide machinery,” he added.

Another component party of the opposition coalition - Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia - also backed Muhyiddin to remain its leader, disagreeing with Mr Hashim’s claim that the eligibility to become prime minister depends on the number of parliamentary seats and the strength of grassroots machinery.

“The reality is that we need 112 seats to form the federal government, not 43 or 50 seats. If it were solely based on seat numbers, DAP would have certainly nominated its representative as prime minister in the current government but this is not the case,” Gerakan president Dominic Lau said in a statement on Nov 22, as quoted by the Malay Mail.

The Democratic Action Party (DAP) won 40 seats in 2022’s general elections. 

Separately, Muhyiddin’s recent announcement that Mr Azmin Ali was the incoming secretary-general of the opposition coalition caused dissatisfaction among PAS members.

Mr Azmin is a fellow Bersatu member and the recently elected secretary-general of the party. 

PN and PAS Youth Chief Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden posted on Facebook, proposing that the coalition’s secretary-general post should be given to PAS current secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan instead. 

“This is in line with the experience and seniority of (Mr) Takiyuddin in Perikatan Nasional, moreover as he was previously the Deputy Secretary General of PN,” Mr Afnan said in a Facebook post on Nov 26. 

On Nov 27, Bersatu Supreme Council member Rosol Wahid said that Muhyiddin’s announcement that Mr Azmin would be PN secretary general was just a suggestion and had not been confirmed, as cited by Free Malaysia Today. 

While some observers believe that the coalition is facing “serious turmoil” that could potentially trigger an exit from the opposition coalition, others say that it is just “muscle flexing” by PAS and it is unlikely that the party will leave.

While PAS had a short history of short-term memberships in political alliances through leaving BN in 1977, Pakatan Rakyat in 2015 and then Muafakat Nasional - its coalition formed with the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) in 2019 - analysts expressed confidence that the PN coalition would remain united, at least until the upcoming elections.

“PAS needs the PN brand outside of the East Coast states,” independent political analyst Adib Zalkapli told CNA, referring to Kelantan and Terengganu, well-known PAS strongholds. 

The Islamic party is now the largest party in parliament. In the 2022 general elections, PAS swept all 14 seats in the state of Kelantan and made history by bringing home all eight seats in Terengganu.

And in the 2023 state elections held in six states, 105 out of the 146 seats won by PN went to PAS.

“Between now and the general elections in two years’ time, the coalition is quite stable,” Prof Chin posited. 

Mr Adib agrees. 

“The tension we are seeing now is just perhaps PAS’s way of showing their strength and attempt to demand more seats from Bersatu at the next elections,” he said.