According to a source in the party, the Bersatu president had told the Supreme Council that he was prepared to step down as PN chairman at any time.

This led to objections from several leaders who, according to the source, said that PAS should leave PN instead and realise its desire to revive Muafakat Nasional (MN) with Umno.

MN was an electoral pact forged between the two biggest Malay parties in 2019 with the main aim of uniting the Malay-Muslim vote.

“Maybe without PAS, the likes of MCA, MIC and other parties would be more comfortable joining PN.

“However, Muhyiddin said his decision to step down as PN chairman was final.”

Muhyiddin announced his resignation as PN chairman this morning, effective Jan 1, 2026.

The former prime minister had led the coalition since Aug 7, 2020, when it was officially registered.

His resignation came a day after PAS Youth chief Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden called for his party to take over the reins of PN, following the political crisis in Perlis.

He accused Bersatu, PAS’s partner in the coalition, of both weakness and betrayal in its lack of action against five assemblymen who withdrew support for PAS’s Sanglang assemblyman Shukri Ramli who resigned as menteri besar.

The Alor Setar MP said it was clear that Bersatu had either lost control of its people, or had given them its blessing.

Shukri was replaced as menteri besar by Bersatu’s Kuala Perlis assemblyman Abu Bakar Hamzah.