Is there discontent brewing in PN over chairman Muhyiddin’s isolationist policy?
Speculation is rife of a growing movement within Perikatan Nasional (PN) to sideline its chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin
(Focus Malaysia) – ON the back of UMNO having dropped the axe on three divisional leaders last night (Dec 8), it has been revealed that speculation is rife of a growing movement within Perikatan Nasional (PN) to sideline its chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (main pic, left) with some accusing him of being the stumbling block to forging a cooperation with the federal government.
Some leaders had voiced concern over the coalition’s long-term plans and whether it should remain in the opposition camp when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had in fact extended an olive branch to PN to join his unity government that was mooted by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.
“There is also this perception that had it not been for Muhyiddin vetoing any cooperation with PH and Barisan Nasional (BN), some of our leaders may have been given positions in the new federal set-up,” the source told NST.
Reports suggested that senior leaders had in recent weeks explored the possibility of replacing Muhyiddin who is also the Bersatu president with the party’s secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin.
The rejection of any cooperation with PH and BN is understood to have sparked numerous concerns particularly to PAS whose leaders believe that its Malay-Muslim base could be aggrieved by such move, and especially so as it has gone against the wisdom of the King who was in favour for all parties to form a unity government.
However, a senior PAS leader when contacted by NST had rejected the claim, accusing it as merely an attempt to create internal strife within PN.
“There is no such thing. This is an attempt by desperate people to weaken PN. They (the ones who made the claim) are disrespecting the choice of the people,” the PAS leader told the mainstream newspaper while referring to PN’s gains during GE15.
On talks about replacing Muhyiddin with Hamzah, the PAS leader said this was merely borne out of fear over PN’s growing influence.
