Next PN chairman should be a party president, says Muhyiddin

Bersatu president also says it's time PN decided on its prime minister candidate for GE16.

PN’s party presidents are currently Bersatu’s Muhyiddin Yassin, PAS’s Abdul Hadi Awang, Gerakan’s Dominic Lau and MIPP’s P Punithan.

KUALA LUMPUR:

 The next Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman should be the president of a coalition component, says Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin.

Muhyiddin, who relinquished the PN chairmanship on Jan 1, said this was Bersatu’s stand on the matter, noting that there were only four party presidents in PN.

The others are PAS’s Abdul Hadi Awang, Gerakan’s Dominic Lau and P Punithan of the Malaysian Indian People’s Party.

The former prime minister said Hadi had already ruled out taking over PN’s leadership due to health factors, acknowledging the dilemma Bersatu’s stand would put PN in.

“If I have resigned, one of the other three should be PN chairman. But if the other three can’t be the chairman, can you give me a solution?

“So we have come to this point now. We will have to look at the overall situation at the end. The coalition should become more sustainable in the future,” he said in an interview with selected members of the press last night.

Muhyiddin said he would propose revamping PN’s constitution to improve its administration, subject to the agreement of its Supreme Council.

He said this revision would lead to some changes in position in the coalition, but ensure PN’s sustainability.

Despite Muhyiddin’s stand, several other PN leaders, including some from Bersatu, have said that the next PN chairman need not be a party president.

While Hadi has reportedly declined the post, he had laid claim to the position on PAS’s behalf.

The top names from the Islamic party being bandied about as Muhyiddin’s possible successors include PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man and vice-president Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar.

‘Time for PN to decide on poster boy’

With the next general election (GE16) not far off, Muhyiddin said PN would also need to decide on its poster boy for the nationwide polls.

While Bersatu had named him as its suggested prime minister candidate for GE16, Muhyiddin said this was merely his party’s proposal and that other PN components should not take offence at it.

“If all four (components) want to be the prime minister candidate, it’s okay. At the end of the day, we can discuss before making a final decision for PN.

“We won’t argue. But for me, maybe it’s time that we make a decision about who will be PN’s next prime minister candidate, as people are starting to think about GE16,” the Pagoh MP added.

Muhyiddin also touched on his relationship with Bersatu deputy president Hamzah Zainudin, saying it “could be better”.

The pair are said to be engaged in a leadership tussle in Bersatu, with internal tensions leading to the sacking of two MPs – Wan Saiful Wan Jan and Saifuddin Abdullah – and the suspension of Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal, the three of whom are said to be aligned with Hamzah. - FMT