{
  "id": 14733945,
  "title": "PAS need not hold opposition leader post, says treasurer",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/pas-need-not-hold-opposition-leader-post-says-treasurer",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-15T15:25:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/10/15/pas-need-not-hold-opposition-leader-post-says-treasurer"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "PAS treasurer Iskandar Abdul Samad has stated that the party does not need to hold the opposition leader's post. According to Iskandar, PAS has 43 MPs which is sufficient to advance its agenda in the lower house. He made these remarks in response to former Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi, who suggested that PAS take over the role of opposition leader from Hamzah Zainudin. Iskandar emphasized that the party ignored Puad even when he was a member of Umno. Puad, who is also a former Batu Pahat MP, criticized Hamzah for not offering new proposals or policies during the budget debate in 2027. Hamzah had been the opposition leader since December 2022, although he briefly stepped down from April to June following his dismissal by Bersatu. Prior to his return as opposition leader in June, Perikatan Nasional chairman Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar had taken over the role.",
  "summary": "Iskandar Abdul Samad says PAS has 43 MPs to advance the party’s agenda in the Dewan Rakyat.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "PAS need not hold opposition leader post, says treasurer",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/pas-need-not-hold-opposition-leader-post-says-treasurer-14737639",
        "published": "2026-10-15T15:25:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}