Growing PAS ambitions for PM’s post could strain ties with Umno

 Analysts say Umno is unlikely to cede the premiership easily even as PAS grassroots members grow more assertive about claiming the top post in Putrajaya.

Analysts said that a growing push within PAS to claim the premiership risks friction with Umno in any GE16 alliance.

PETALING JAYA:

A push within PAS for the party to claim the prime minister’s post could become a source of tension with Umno should the two Malay parties join forces for the next general election, analysts say.

Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad Sabri.

Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad Sabri of Global Asia Consulting said PAS had good reason to be confident after winning 43 parliamentary seats at the 2022 general election, compared with Umno’s 26.

“So when PAS Youth talk about a PAS prime minister, they are sending Umno a message: ‘We are no longer the junior partner’,” Zaharuddin told FMT.

Syaza Shukri of International Islamic University Malaysia observed growing confidence within PAS, citing earlier calls for the party to take over leadership of Perikatan Nasional from Bersatu because of its greater strength within the coalition.

At the PAS Youth general assembly last week, Kedah PAS Youth chief Ilyas Ahmad said the Islamic party should no longer give way to other parties for the premiership, as it has qualified candidates of its own.

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang previously said that the party has a prime ministerial candidate for the next general election, but would only reveal its choice after seeing how many seats each party wins.

Syaza Shukri.

But this comes as Umno and PAS renew their political cooperation, having worked together through Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional respectively in the Negeri Sembilan state election last month. The arrangement could also be extended to the coming Melaka state election.

However, Syaza said that Umno would likely insist on the premiership as part of any agreement to work with PAS.

“That is what Umno would ask for in return for working with PAS. And they know they can ask for it because PAS is very aware that a PAS prime minister would be very unpopular with the general public,” she said.

“But if Umno takes the PM’s post, despite PAS’s bigger seats, it would quickly sour the relationship.”

Syaza said PAS could potentially ease resistance to a PAS prime minister by putting forward a figure not seen as a traditional party leader, such as PN chairman Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, who is Terengganu menteri besar. His profile could make him more acceptable to voters and potential political partners, Syaza said.

However, Zaharuddin said Umno still held an advantage in its nationwide political network and decades of experience governing at the federal level, while PAS remained more geographically concentrated. “This is where a PAS-Umno alliance could become extremely complicated,” he added. - FMT