PAS wraps up annual congress with call for leadership change in opposition coalition

It raises possibility of showdown with ally Bersatu over PM candidacy for next election

- Shannon Teoh

Malaysia's Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) wrapped up its annual congress on Sept 16 with a bold call for leadership change in the opposition bloc, as its leaders signalled readiness to take a bigger role in national politics.

The four-day event saw the Islamist party's 3,000 delegates endorse resolutions positioning PAS as the natural leader of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) opposition coalition, to reflect its place in the pecking order above coalition ally Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.

This has raised the possibility of a showdown with Bersatu, especially on the issue of PN’s prime ministerial candidate for the general election, which Bersatu expects to take place in 2026, two years before it is due in 2028.

PAS president Hadi Awang and his deputy Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man had insisted the focus of Malaysia’s largest party was on ensuring PN wins this election. Yet from the day its national congress — or muktamar — opened on Sept 12 until Tan Sri Hadi closed proceedings on Sept 16, resolutions and statements have repeatedly proposed a change in the coalition leadership.

While Mr Hadi and Datuk Seri Ibrahim have ruled themselves out of the equation for the premiership, other top PAS figures have rallied to the call for the Islamist party to take the driver’s seat in the coalition.

PAS’ spiritual leader Hashim Jasin and vice-president Nik Amar Abdullah said during the congress that the party has numerous candidates who can lead the country, with the latter even proposing himself in jest.

"If you want the kind of PM who likes to fly here and there to meet people, we have so many even in PAS. If you go by this yardstick, we can easily find three to four lorries full of candidates (in PAS)," Datuk Hashim, who leads the powerful Syura Council that has the final say on major party decisions, quipped on Sept 13, referencing Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s frequent overseas trips.