PAS has decided on a candidate to become the next Perikatan Nasional chief.
The party, however, is playing its cards close to the chest for now.
Speaking to reporters in Kota Bharu today, PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari declined to confirm speculation that the party will be nominating Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar as the coalition's new leader.
"I can't confirm that. At the PAS level, a name has been confirmed, whether it has been relayed (to former PN chief Muhyiddin Yassin) I'm not sure," he said.
Malaysiakini obtained a recording of his remarks to the press.
Interestingly, Fadhli noted that the PN constitution does not contain any specific provisions requiring that the coalition chairperson also be the president of one of its component parties.
Samsuri is one of three PAS vice-presidents. Another frontrunner for the post is PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.
PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang has indicated that he is not keen to take on a top leadership post, signalling a preference for someone younger to take charge.
Despite Samsuri being a favourite pick among pundits and observers, his position as a vice-president has raised questions about whether he can consolidate support from more senior leaders outside of PAS, such as Bersatu deputy president Hamzah Zainudin and Gerakan president Dominic Lau.
However, PN has made unconventional choices before.
In the past, the opposition leader post in Parliament would go to the top leader of the main opposition pact. However, PN had elevated Hamzah to the post over Muhyiddin and Hadi.
Is it the right time for PAS?
Former PAS central committee leader Zuhdi Marzuki - who once acted as party strategist - also expressed concern about whether it is the right time for the Islamist party to lead PN.
"Even though I am a PAS member, we have to admit that Islamophobic sentiments among non-Muslims are still strong.
"If PAS is at the forefront, it can trigger unease among non-Malays and non-Muslim voters, making it difficult for us to attract their support," Zuhdi was quoted as saying by Sinar Harian.
He noted that when Muhyiddin headed PN, there was some shift in non-Malay support towards the coalition, hence PN may still need a Bersatu figure as a poster boy to counterbalance Islamophobic sentiments.
Observers have argued that Samsuri, as a technocrat in PAS, might be more appealing to non-Muslim voters than a theocrat. - Mkini
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