{
  "id": 16140584,
  "title": "PAS’s deference strengthens Zahid’s claim to be next PM, says analyst",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/23/pass-deference-strengthens-zahids-claim-to-be-next-pm-says-analyst",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-23T01:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/10/23/pas-s-deference-strengthens-zahid-s-claim-to-be-next-pm-says-analyst"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi claims the premiership could be bolstered if PAS persists in a supportive role alongside Barisan Nasional in a victorious coalition following the 2016 general election, according to analyst Mazlan Ali. PAS, the second-largest party in Parliament, may find its stance of playing a supporting role in electoral arrangements advantageous for Umno's aspirations to lead the government. In Johor, the BN won convincingly with PAS's tacit support, despite insisting no formal electoral pact existed between them and Perikatan Nasional (PN). PAS contested just 11 of the 56 constituencies, urging supporters to back BN candidates in non-contested seats. Cooperation extended further in Negeri Sembilan, where BN and PN contested 36 of the 36 seats, winning 25 and 11 respectively. For the upcoming Melaka polls, Umno president Zahid has pledged to defend all 21 state seats won in 2021, with PAS and its allies contesting the remaining seven. For a parliamentary majority to secure Zahid as prime minister, PAS would need to back him, alongside Umno securing more seats than PAS under an electoral cooperation deal. While Umno may not readily cede the prime minister position to PAS, Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad Sabri of Global Asia Consulting did not dismiss the possibility of Hamzah Mazlan, Umno's potential prime ministerial candidate, as a viable choice to break a leadership deadlock. However, he cautioned that PAS's willingness to work with Hamzah might not guarantee its support for his premiership, emphasizing that Hamzah must demonstrate measurable achievements to secure PAS's backing.",
  "summary": "Mazlan Ali says Umno is unlikely to concede the top post if it emerges as the stronger partner in a pact that wins federal power.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "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."
}