After 2 years, PAS emerges as ‘true power’ in PN

“Muhyiddin is in no position to dictate what PAS can or cannot do. He has no bargaining power. Bersatu just has to follow what PAS wants.”

(FMT) – Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin will not be able to stop Perikatan Nasional ally PAS from working with Umno and Barisan Nasional after the general election, says an analyst.

“The real power in PN has emerged. It’s PAS,” Council of Professors fellow Jeniri Amir told FMT.

“Muhyiddin is in no position to dictate what PAS can or cannot do. He has no bargaining power. Bersatu just has to follow what PAS wants.”

He was commenting on Muhyiddin’s statement that PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan has no authority to hold discussions with BN about forming the government with PN after GE15.

Muhyiddin, the PN chairman, said he has never given anyone the mandate to hold negotiations with BN to form the government.

This came after Takiyuddin expressed confidence that BN would be open to working with PN to form the next federal government if there was a hung Parliament after the polls.

Jeniri said the reality was that PAS is the strongest party in PN with more grassroots support from the public than Bersatu.

“I doubt if Bersatu can win many seats, and PAS knows this,” he said, adding that PAS, which could win 20 seats, would not want to be in the opposition after the elections.

“At the same time, BN is pragmatic. Their ideal partners are Gabungan Rakyat Sabah and Gabungan Parti Sarawak. But if they still cannot form the government, they will look to work with PAS and Warisan.”

So, Jeniri said, he was not surprised that PAS is floating the possibility of working with BN to form the government.

He said he would not be surprised if PAS does end up backing BN after the elections.

Oh Ei Sun of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs said it was only natural that PAS would want to work with Umno as it is expected to perform better than Bersatu.

He said this would ultimately allow PAS to remain in government and push its theocratic agenda.