Malaysia’s opposition alliance is now in limbo with an online war

MALAYSIA: A war of words has erupted among opposition leaders, pitting Malaysian United Indigenous Party (BERSATU) and Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) on the role of each party in the last election and indicating an upcoming split in the opposition.

The PAS-BERSATU alliance in Perikatan Nasional (PN) has hit a critical crossroads, with the ultimate fate of their partnership now resting in the hands of the PAS Syura Ulama Council.

They will be deciding soon if the two parties are to continue working together or whether there will be a divorce.

Two weeks ago, the PAS leader Abdul Hadi Awang imposed a gag order on the decision for the party to review its relationship with BERSATU.

Despite the gag order, the rift between PAS and BERSATU has since widened and is pointing towards a potential end of their collaboration and a major shift in the PN opposition coalition.

On top of the ongoing rift, Muhyiddin Yassin is facing backlash for making statements regarding the future of PN and the Malacca state elections.

Muhyiddin had said PN will contest all seats in Malacca and that a coalition of parties allied to BERSATU will also be contesting under the PN banner.

However, a former BERSATU member and Bemban assemblyman, Dr Yadzil Yaakub, has publicly rebuked Muhyiddin Yassin for the statement.

He says Muhyiddin is no longer the Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman and has no authority to make coalition announcements or sign candidate letters.

While the coalition formally holds together despite some PAS leaders openly pushing for a split with Muhyiddin Yassin’s party, it is the fierce divide among their supporters on social media that has truly stolen the spotlight.

Hanisya Abd Hamid, a strong PAS supporter on Facebook, also chipped in to criticise Muhyiddin.

In a post, the user said the authority to issue candidate letters for those contesting under PN lies with the current chairperson, Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, and not the PN Deputy Chairman, Muhyiddin Yassin.

“Therefore, Muhyiddin’s statement in Melaka claiming that IPR (Coalition of parties under BERSATU) candidates can contest under the PN banner completely lacks locus standi. Maybe Muhyiddin mistakenly thinks he is still the PN Chairman?”

Another says that throughout his time (Muhyiddin) as PN Chairman, PN has been sluggish, practically invisible, and lifeless. 

“Absolutely zero momentum or progress. Or is this a deliberate effort to weaken PN before abandoning it?”

Also on Facebook, another opined that the current PN chairman is weak because if he has to decide in the PN meeting, he has to refer back to the PAS Syura Council.

“What on earth is that about? Plus, ever since he took over as chairman, there hasn’t been a single program organised under the PN banner—everything is done under the PAS banner. Id… chairman,” one said, receiving a lot of backlash and portraying the divide between the supporters of the two parties on social media.

One view is that the PAS leadership in PN is not progressive, while the other view on social media is that Muhyiddin has been a bad PN chairman since the grouping has lost its shine after the 2022 elections.