Hadi puts squeeze on Bersatu to assert PAS dominance, says analyst

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang has claimed that Bersatu has ceased to be a member of Perikatan Nasional (PN), asserting PAS dominance. The move follows Muhyiddin Yassin's announcement of forming a new alliance after the Negeri Sembilan state election. PAS spokesperson Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad Sabri argued that Hadi's claim was not a mere interpretation of PN's constitution, but rather a declaration of intent to change the power dynamics within PN.

He stated that any party choosing to join or form another alliance would automatically lose its membership. Zaharuddin emphasized that this move signaled a shift in the power hierarchy within PN, particularly in the lead-up to the 16th general election. PAS has been gaining strength at the grassroots level and has demonstrated improved performance in recent elections.

Bersatu's secretary-general, Azmin Ali, countered Hadi's claim by arguing that it contradicted PN's constitution, as there was no provision for the automatic termination of a party's membership. According to Azmin, only the presidential council could finalize Bersatu's status as a PN member party. However, political analyst Syaza Shukri of International Islamic University Malaysia suggested that Hadi's remarks were an attempt to resolve the spat between PAS and Bersatu without going through the proper process.

Syaza contended that Bersatu could not remain in PN if it formed a new coalition, as it was currently a powerful Malay coalition with difficulty parting ways with PN. Nonetheless, Syaza noted that Bersatu would likely continue to consider itself part of PN until its membership was officially terminated.