Hadi: PAS ready to take over PN, leader to be discussed soon

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang has indicated that his party is poised to assume leadership of Perikatan Nasional.

He said several names, including his own, were being considered to replace the coalition’s former chairperson and Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin.

Speaking to reporters after delivering a mid-morning sermon at Masjid Rusila, Terengganu, the Marang MP said the matter will be discussed by PAS leaders and at a PN council meeting expected next week.

“We have already decided to take over PN. PAS will take over the leadership of PN. We will discuss this in meetings.

“PN has its members in the meeting… and within PAS, we will also hold discussions,” said Hadi.

Quizzed on PAS’ candidates and whether the list included himself, he said, “...that we will announce”.

Pressed further, Hadi admitted he is in poor health and that PAS has a list of other capable leaders for the position, including politicians and technocrats.

It was previously reported that various factions within PAS had mooted names, including party deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, and Kedah Menteri Besar Sanusi Nor.

The developments followed Muhyiddin’s resignation as PN chairperson after Bersatu leaders in Perlis initiated a coup, which led to PAS losing hold over the state government.

Hadi, however, today said PAS still maintains “good relations” with Bersatu, as well as Umno - the party’s former ally under the Muafakat Nasional (MN) pact.

“InsyaAllah, InsyaAllah. We want to unite the Malays, the Muslim community, and unite non-Muslims who are not extremists. That is our agenda,” he said when asked if PAS would revive the pact.

While it is now defunct, the MN name is being used as an NGO led by PAS central committee member Annuar Musa.

‘All back to normal after one, two days of noise’

Separately, PN Youth chief Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden insisted that the coalition remains intact, brushing off recent frictions between PAS and Bersatu as merely “a day or two of noise”.

Afnan also maintained that PN-led state governments are operating as usual, despite the resignations of several Bersatu leaders as PN state chiefs.

“PN still exists. The process of forming a new leadership is underway, and there will be new appointments to fill the vacancies.

“Talk claiming PN is already ‘damaged’, heading towards collapse, or has lost its direction is all untrue,” he said in a Facebook post today.

Afnan, who is also PAS Youth chief, said relations among elected representatives from both parties have returned to normal and that they remain in contact.

“It was noisy for a day or two - that’s normal. When a conflict is hot and tensions are high, things get noisy. People vent, offer criticism, and share their views. But after things cool down, everyone apologises. Brotherhood is rekindled,” he said.

The rift within PN is seen to have begun when eight Perlis assemblypersons declared they had lost confidence in PAS’ Shukri Ramli as menteri besar, who was later replaced by Perlis Bersatu chairperson Abu Bakar Hamzah.

Several PAS leaders later expressed dissatisfaction - either through insinuation or directly - including Afnan himself, who said the Perlis crisis proved that Bersatu was unfit to lead the coalition.

‘Need both PN and MN’

Afnan said today a mere revival of MN is “insufficient” and instead hinted at a combination of PN and MN, comprising other non-Malay parties, including Gerakan and MIPP.

He argued that a PN and MN pact could effectively weaken their rivals, accusing Harapan-component DAP of attempts to prevent any efforts to revive and unite the parties.

“Why? So that they can continue to hold power and do whatever they want.

“If unity through PN and MN exists, they will be shaken and lose all the power they have. Everyone knows this - especially DAP,” he claimed.

“PN alone is not enough, MN alone is not enough. We need PN and MN. That is why all eyes are now on PN.

“PN will be strong and vibrant with the formation of new leadership, God willing. The much-desired unity of the ummah will surely take shape,” he added.

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