KUALA LUMPUR, May 23 — Perikatan Nasional (PN) leaders should remain calm following Perlis Menteri Besar Abu Bakar Hamzah’s statement that he is prepared to dissolve the state assembly if PAS lawmakers move a vote of no confidence against him, Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said today.

According to Utusan Malaysia, the Perlis PN chairman said all parties should wait for an official decision on cooperation between PAS and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), amid growing tensions within the Opposition coalition.

He also urged party leaders and members not to issue further statements until a decision had been reached.

“For me, we need to remain calm because the people need our services more at this time. The conclusion is simple — stay calm,” he told the national daily after officiating the 2026 National Youth Day celebration in Kuala Perlis today.

Earlier, Abu Bakar said that he would dissolve the Perlis state assembly if six PAS assemblymen tabled a no-confidence motion against him during the sitting scheduled from June 3 to 5.

Shahidan said he had not received any instructions to take further action beyond the existing cooperation framework agreed within PN.

“Regarding the president’s (Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang) statement, we will wait for further clarification because this did not arise out of nowhere. 

“There may have been several incidents that led to the statement, including what happened in Negeri Sembilan.

“For us, what matters most is continuing to serve the people because that is our responsibility. 

“Whatever decision is made, I will not take any action that harms the people,” he said.

KANGAR, May 23 — Malaysian youth today are becoming more mature and wiser in evaluating the effectiveness of a government based on its performance and the country’s achievements, said Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari.

He said the acceptance by the young generation of the current unity government has been positive, including among rural youth who are increasingly aware of current issues and national development.

According to him, young people today no longer focus solely on political rhetoric, but instead assess the government based on economic performance, employment opportunities and national stability.

“What is important now is ensuring that the government demonstrates performance-driven leadership. We want to highlight achievements implemented not only domestically, but also at the Asean and global levels.

“Although the world is currently facing a challenging global crisis, Malaysia has managed to maintain low unemployment and inflation rates while continuing to provide good job opportunities for young people,” he told reporters after opening the state-level Youth Festival in conjunction with National Youth Day 2026 at Dataran Lok 9 in Kuala Perlis today.

Meanwhile, Dr Mohammed Taufiq said national leadership requires a balance between the experience of veteran leaders and the fresh ideas brought by younger leaders to ensure comprehensive national development.

He stressed that young leadership should not be measured solely by age, but also by principles, idealism and leadership qualities that can benefit the people.

“We want to see more young leaders who are brave enough to speak on behalf of the people and step forward to help develop the country,” he said. — Bernama