Malaysia's Perikatan Nasional rudderless as search for opposition's new chief deadlocked

PAS keen to take over the reins but lacks leader who is acceptable across coalition

- Shannon Teoh

Three weeks after former premier Muhyiddin Yassin quit as Perikatan Nasional (PN) chief, Malaysia's main opposition coalition still does not have a new chairman.

Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) has signalled its readiness to take over the reins, seeing it as a natural progression given it has more elected representatives across Parliament and the 13 state assemblies than any other party.

But official sources told The Straits Times that despite PAS holding a series of negotiations with other PN components, the matter is still at a deadlock, laying bare how the Islamist party still lacks a leader with both the broad appeal and stature needed to lead such a diverse country.

"PAS has been lobbying for Muhyiddin to step down since last year, but it appears they did not have a game plan for what would happen after achieving that," said a top PN official who wished to remain anonymous.

Sources said that PAS president Hadi Awang is keen for his protege Samsuri Mokhtar, PAS' vice-president, to become PN's new chairman, with the Terengganu Chief Minister's moderate image helping to boost his prime ministerial credentials.

Datuk Seri Samsuri was political secretary to Tan Sri Hadi for a decade before taking over his mentor's Ru Rendang state seat in 2018 and being elevated to Menteri Besar of the eastern state.

Mr Hadi, 78, has ruled himself out of the PN leadership position because of ill health and his advancing years.

However, his choice of Dr Samsuri is facing pushback both internally within PAS and from PN partners. Powerful ulama, or Islamic scholars, in PAS want one of their own to be positioned to lead Malaysia according to religious principles.