'Consult us first,' PAS tells Bersatu on PN decisions

PAS has urged Bersatu to hold consultations with its fellow Perikatan Nasional parties before announcing any policies or stances.

PAS spiritual leader Hashim Jasin said that among the key policy issues that were not discussed with the Islamist party beforehand was PN’s choice for its prime ministerial candidate.

He claimed that such decisions were sometimes announced by Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin, in his capacity as PN chairperson, without prior consultation with PAS.

“The decisions made by (Muhyiddin) were not discussed within PN, (including) who the prime ministerial candidate would be and so forth...as far as I know, a committee for this was not formed (or discussed).

“(PAS) requests that such matters be discussed and decided on first before being announced. Don’t just announce it outright,” Hashim (above) said in an audio recording shared by a news portal with Malaysiakini.

His remarks came amid rumours of unstable cooperation within PN, particularly between Bersatu and PAS.

PAS had previously lobbied for one of its senior leaders to fill the PN secretary-general post, which became vacant after its previous holder, Hamzah Zainudin, became Bersatu deputy president.

However, Muhyiddin had then appointed former PKR deputy president and Selangor opposition leader Azmin Ali as PN secretary-general.

The following day, Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar resigned as PN treasurer-general, with the post remaining vacant until now.

Bersatu denies claim

Responding to Hashim’s comments, Bersatu vice-president Ahmad Faizal Azumu denied claims of the party not consulting its partners.

He stressed that all decisions involving PN’s policies have been - and will continue to be - discussed and decided by consensus at the coalition’s supreme council meetings.

The former Perak menteri besar added that all policy decisions or action coordination at the highest level are discussed and decided in PN’s supreme council meetings, except for matters specifically provided for in the coalition’s constitution.

Faizal also said that Bersatu and PAS have an informal discussion platform between their top leadership to deliberate on policy issues before these are brought to the PN’s supreme council meetings.

He asserted that there have also been one-on-one meetings between Muhyiddin and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang to align their views before decisions are finalised officially.

“Each party in PN has the space to make decisions within their internal structures, as long as these do not conflict with PN’s policies and constitution,” Faizal told Malaysiakini.

In April, Malaysiakini reported that PN is expecting a leadership reshuffle after its component parties agreed to form a committee to assess organisational improvements.

PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, who is part of the coalition’s supreme council, said the move to improve PN's structure will be implemented comprehensively.

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