Marzuki Mohamad said he attended a Jan 16 gathering at Bersatu president Muhyiddin’s residence, where senior PAS leaders and Muhyiddin discussed ending the “deadlock” on the vacant post.
“PAS wanted the PN chairman’s post, but this was opposed by two other component parties, Gerakan and MIPP,” Marzuki wrote on Facebook.
“As a way forward, the meeting decided to strengthen the role of the PN presidential council, led by Muhyiddin, and to establish a PN executive council, to be led by a candidate nominated by PAS.
“This proposal was agreed upon by Gerakan and MIPP, who saw Muhyiddin’s position as chairman of the presidential council as a way to balance PAS’s more ‘hardline’ Islamic image. Thus, the PN crisis was resolved, and the PN constitution would be amended accordingly.”
Muhyiddin didn’t lie about abolishing PN chairman post
Marzuki also defended Muhyiddin against claims that the former prime minister lied about the abolition of the PN chairman’s post, an issue that has sparked calls within Bersatu for disciplinary action.
In a leaked letter, Muhyiddin stated that Bersatu and PAS had agreed to abolish the PN chairman’s post as part of the coalition’s restructuring as discussed during the Jan 16 meeting.
He added that the presidential council, headed by Bersatu, would be the highest decision-making body in PN, while an executive council led by PAS would manage administrative matters.
PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man denied Muhyiddin’s claim, saying the issue of abolishing the post was not discussed at the meeting. Meanwhile, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said in a separate letter said that the presidential council would be advisory only, with the Supreme Council remaining as the coalition’s executive decision-maker.
Marzuki clarified that under the proposed constitutional amendments, the PN chairman’s post would become “redundant”, effectively eliminating the post.
“What matters is not the post of PN chairman, but how the powers of the chairmen of the presidential and executive councils are distributed,” he said.
“The powers of the two council chairmen should have been thoroughly discussed by a technical committee according to the process agreed upon on Jan 16, but the committee was never formed.
“The discussions were still ongoing, yet Muhyiddin was accused of lying based on a letter from Hadi. It seems someone is deliberately trying to ‘throw a spanner’ into the agreement reached by Muhyiddin and Hadi for the benefit of PN.”