Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara said he expected PAS to make use of opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin – Muhyiddin’s “nemesis” in Bersatu – to push back against the former prime minister and even pressure him into stepping down as Bersatu president.
He said it was likely PAS would decide to break away from PN only if all efforts failed and Muhyiddin remained in the driver’s seat in the opposition coalition.
“After all, PAS is aware that Bersatu merely piggybacks on the Islamic party’s popularity in Malay-majority seats, especially in the east coast and northern part of the peninsula.
“For the time being, PAS still has leeway to push Muhyiddin out of the PN chairmanship with Hamzah’s support. PAS would also want to see Muhyiddin let go of the Bersatu presidency so that Hamzah can take over.
“If all this fails and Muhyiddin remains at the helm, then I think there would be no reason for PAS to remain with PN any more,” he told FMT.
Azmi said he expected Hamzah and those aligned with him to quit Bersatu and join the Islamic party, especially ahead of the 16th general election (GE16), which is expected by early 2028 at the latest.
“It would be very difficult for Hamzah and his supporters to remain in Bersatu if Muhyiddin is still at the helm at the end of all this. Hamzah would also strengthen PAS in taking on Muhyiddin and Bersatu,” Azmi said.
Tensions between both parties came to a head after Muhyiddin claimed PAS and Bersatu agreed to abolish the PN chairman’s post as part of the coalition’s restructuring at a meeting held at his residence more than a week ago.
PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man denied Muhyiddin’s claim, saying the matter was not even discussed during the meeting on Jan 16. The party had laid claim to the PN chairmanship after Muhyiddin stepped down on Jan 1.
The Islamic party’s spiritual leader, Hashim Jasin, later suggested that PAS go solo in GE16 if the deadlock over the new PN chairman is prolonged.
PAS believes it can replicate Bersatu’s ‘value’
According to Lau Zhe Wei of the International Islamic University of Malaysia, PAS now believes it has the capability and “value” that Bersatu now holds which the Islamic party lacked during PN’s initial formation in 2020.
Back then, he said, Bersatu’s value to PAS was its comparatively moderate image and the presence of technocrats and experienced statesmen in its ranks, including Muhyiddin who was prime minister then, and several other federal ministers.
Lau said this changed with PAS gaining more experience in governance both at the federal and state levels, as well as the emergence of more moderate leaders such as deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man and Terengganu menteri besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar.
“Now the question is whether Bersatu is still valuable to PAS. At this moment, it doesn’t seem so. That’s why PAS has started claiming the top positions. PAS now believes Bersatu’s value can be replaced by its own leaders,” he said.
“Whether it’s actually able to or not is another debate, but in the current context, PAS essentially intends to replace Bersatu’s value in PN.”
Lau said the best move for PAS would be to leave PN and go solo, given it was at its strongest position yet and could win a significant number of seats to have a say in the formation of the government.
He believed PAS had bolstered its position among Malay-Muslim voters such that it would still emerge the winner in multi-cornered contests with Umno and Bersatu.
“Though it might not reach a simple majority to form the government on their own, the strength is there. There’s no need for them to rely on Bersatu any more.
“The ball is now in PAS’s court to decide between continuing to negotiate with Bersatu or just decide that enough is enough. If you ask me, the best decision is to cut off the relationship directly,” he said.