Malaysia's Opposition Coalition Grapples With Succession Planning

This comes as it prepares for national polls widely expected to take place in 2027

- Shannon Teoh

After the post-election year of 2023 in which Perikatan Nasional (PN) threatened, but failed, to topple Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's loose multi-coalition alliance, Malaysia's opposition coalition is now grappling with succession planning ahead of the next national polls due by early 2028 but widely expected to take place a year earlier.

As Datuk Seri Anwar enters the mid-term period of the five-year parliamentary mandate, the opposition is now looking inward to prepare a renewed assault to reclaim Putrajaya, with former premier Muhyiddin Yassin's leadership of the pact coming into question earlier in 2025.

Muhyiddin leads the PN coalition despite his Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia having fewer MPs than Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) - 25 to 43. The Islamist party has the most number of elected representatives across federal and state legislatures compared to any other party in the country.

Meanwhile, PAS heads into a crucial leadership contest in September. There is growing talk that ailing president Hadi Awang - who underwent an unspecified medical procedure on June 17 will step aside into the role of spiritual leader that will be less taxing on the 77year-old.

How quickly the two main PN parties decide on their leadership structure could also well decide whether they can present a cohesive alternative to the Anwar administration at the next polls.

Reports of a split in Bersatu - a Malay-based party founded by former Umno leaders - have persisted despite denials by the party, coming after a long simmering rivalry between deputy president Hamzah Zainudin and secretary-general Azmin Ali.

The battle between the two camps intensified after Muhyiddin, 78, said in 2023 that he would not defend his presidency at the next party polls in November 2024.