KUALA LUMPUR, June 9 — PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari said the party’s decision to terminate its political cooperation with Bersatu was not based on sentiment or short-term political interests, but on an assessment of whether the partnership could achieve the broader goals of ummah unity and political stability.

He said PAS’ priority remains the unity of the ummah, adding that the decision followed concerns that recent developments within Bersatu had undermined that objective.

Last night, PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang said the decision was made during a special meeting of the party’s Central Working Committee, after taking into account reports, studies and the current assessment of relations between the two parties.

He said the move was also taken to endorse the Syura Council’s June 2 decision on policy, legal and public-interest considerations regarding political cooperation based on the principle of Muslim unity.

Fadhli in a statement posted on his Facebook page this morning said Bersatu’s stance during the Perikatan Nasional Supreme Council meeting, which opposed the inclusion of parties such as Berjasa, Pejuang, IMAN and PUTRA despite a prepared proposal, had undermined the unity agenda.

He also cited a series of developments involving Bersatu in Perlis and Negeri Sembilan, saying these had affected the morale of PAS machinery ahead of the next general election.

Fadhli said the relationship between PAS and Bersatu within Perikatan Nasional will now be managed according to constitutional provisions and proper channels following the decision.

 

KUALA LUMPUR, June 7 — The future of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition hangs in the balance as PAS will convene a high-stakes central working committee (CWC) meeting tomorrow night to determine its ongoing relationship with Bersatu.

PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang confirmed the meeting today, when speaking to reporters following the launch of a book on the Iran-Israel war at the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair, Free Malaysia Today reported.

“It will be tomorrow, God willing, Monday. We will have a meeting at night,” Hadi said, addressing mounting speculation over when the party leadership would formally decide the trajectory of the PAS-Bersatu partnership.

The alliance between the two PN pillars has been tenuous since Tan Sri Muhyddin Yassin was forced to resign as the chairman of the coalition last year.

The rift widened after Hadi publicly signalled that PAS would reassess its cooperation with Bersatu, delivering a pointed warning that the party’s “patience has its limits.”

At the core of the dispute are several high-friction issues that have eroded trust between the two parties.

Chief among these is Bersatu’s move to unseat the Perlis menteri besar, as well as allegations of Bersatu interfering in state-level appointments in the PAS strongholds of Kedah and Kelantan.

Adding to the tension is a strategic disagreement over the coalition's growth; Hadi alleged that Bersatu has consistently opposed the admission of new Malay-Muslim parties into the PN fold whereas the Islamist party has continued its outreach towards such groups.

KANGAR, June 5 — Rumours of a no-confidence motion against Menteri Besar Abu Bakar Hamzah never materialised as the Perlis state assembly wrapped up its three-day sitting today.

Abu Bakar said this should end the polemics dogging his administration and prove that Perikatan Nasional (PN) representatives, especially from PAS and Bersatu, are still working together, Harian Metro reported this afternoon.

“Alhamdulillah, today it is crystal clear.

“Actually, this issue (vote of no-confidence) is deliberately being played up by parties who are trying to pit us against each other and break the relationship between Perlis PN representatives.

"However, in politics we have to consider various possibilities.

“But today we have succeeded in proving that there is absolutely no motion or matter that can damage and sever ties between Bersatu and PAS,” he told reporters after the sitting ended at Kompleks Seri Putra here.

The Bersatu politician also expressed his appreciation to all PN assemblymen, especially from PAS, for their full commitment in not bringing such a motion.

He said the consensus was also a manifestation of the representatives’ obedience in upholding the Perlis Ruler Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail's wish for his administration to continue until the end of the term in December 2027.

“I would like to thank all parties, especially the assemblymen from PAS.

“Unwanted matters have been avoided and most importantly, we always remain calm in PN,” he said.

Commenting on the sitting which began last Wednesday, he praised the professional attitude of all members who debated maturely without touching on personal sensitivities.

The sitting was initially scheduled for April 21 to 23, but was amended later.

This sparked various speculations including demands for explanations from six PAS representatives.

However, Abu Bakar said the date change was made to give him space to carefully map out his leadership direction and state planning, as he had only been in the post for three months.

 

 

KUALA LUMPUR, June 9 — PAS today officially decided to terminate its political cooperation with Bersatu.

PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang said the decision was made during a special meeting of the party’s Central Working Committee yesterday, after taking into account reports, studies and the current assessment of relations between the two parties.

He said the action was also taken to endorse the Syura Council’s June 2 decision on policy, legal and public-interest considerations regarding the party’s political cooperation based on the principle of Muslim unity.

On June 2, PAS Syura Council secretary Datuk Dr Nik Muhammad Zawawi Salleh said the party had taken serious note of the crisis and internal conflict within Bersatu, which were seen to be affecting Perikatan Nasional. — Bernama

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Jun 9 — PAS leadership has remained tight-lipped over the party’s position in Perikatan Nasional (PN) following its announcement to end political cooperation with Bersatu.

However, PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari indicated that the party is, for now, still part of the coalition, Berita Harian reported today.

“I don’t want to comment further at this point. As of tonight, that is the situation (still in PN),” he told reporters after a special PAS central working committee meeting at the party headquarters here last night.

Earlier, PAS surprised the political landscape by announcing an immediate end to its political cooperation with Bersatu after reviewing the direction and status of ties between the two parties.

The decision was made during the special meeting chaired by PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang.

When asked whether the decision to sever ties with Bersatu was supported by the majority of senior party leadership, Ahmad Fadhli declined to elaborate on the proceedings.

“I cannot comment on the meeting process. No, it wasn’t heated… the air-conditioning was working well,” he said.

The meeting reportedly did not discuss PAS’s position within PN.

Separately, Perlis PN chairman Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim also declined to comment in detail, instead referring media to the official statement issued by the PAS president.

“The president’s statement did not touch on PN, so the position remains as before (still intact),” he said.

On the political situation in Perlis following the decision, Shahidan said he would issue a further statement once he receives instructions from the central leadership.

“I will issue a statement on Perlis once I receive further instructions from PAS central leadership,” he added.

MALAYSIA: After a year of turmoil in Perikatan Nasional (PN), PAS now looks ready to either push out Muhyiddin Yassin’s party, Bersatu, or reduce its role in the opposition coalition.

Since the inception of the alliance, Bersatu has played the role of the big brother, but since the 2022 elections, PAS has started to impose itself in the alliance. It has more seats than Bersatu and controls more states in Peninsula Malaysia.

Things started to change in PN after the resignation of Muhyiddin as the grouping chairman, and this led to the PAS nominating the Menteri Besar of Terengganu, Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, as the new chairman.

But Bersatu went through a series of shocks, with the party kicking out several Members of Parliament, including its deputy leader Hamzah Zainuddin, who was also the official Opposition leader in Parliament.

To further impose its power on the opposition group, PAS appointed Samsuri as the new opposition leader in Parliament, thus diminishing Bersatu’s role as a major opposition party.

But as the heat of the election is increasingly felt in Malaysia, PAS gave a stern warning to Bersatu, even stating that they will review the current cooperation.

In a shock press conference, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said that so far his party has been patient with actions allegedly taken by Bersatu in several matters. And he said their patience has limits.

“We are not disappointed… we are patient, (but) patience has its limits,” he stressed at a press conference in Rusila, Terengganu, last week.

Abdul Hadi also explained that the actions taken by their ally Bersatu were ‘attempts’ to sideline PAS.

He mentioned a series of missteps by Bersatu, with the latest being the U-turn of Bersatu reps in Negeri Sembilan. Initially, they withdrew support for the Chief Minister of the state, but later made a U-turn.

The PAS leader said it was unacceptable for Bersatu to make the U-turn, which probably prevented the collapse of the pro-Pakatan Harapan government in the state.

And there is also the blocking of admission of Malay-Muslim political parties in the PN coalition by Bersatu. PAS did not take these lightly.

‘Lastly, Bersatu blocked membership of Malay Muslim parties, including non‑Muslim parties that are not extreme, from joining PN,’ Abdul Hadi said.

Abdul Hadi also said PAS’s disappointment that Bersatu had more election candidates compared to party workers and machinery.

Asked about the possibility PAS will move without Bersatu after this, the 78‑year‑old politician said the matter remains one possibility but cannot be determined because ‘it has not happened yet.’

This article (Opposition group in disarray in Malaysia after PAS mulls review of collaboration with Bersatu) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.