However, another analyst said Bersatu’s internal power struggle between Hamzah Zainudin and Muhyiddin was another possible reason for the delay.
PAS is well-positioned to take over the helm of the coalition given its larger number of MPs compared to its partners.
Akademi Nusantara political analyst Azmi Hassan said apprehension about PAS is rooted in concerns that a PAS-led PN would put off non-Malay voters, a key segment the coalition is seeking to woo to win federal power.
Azmi said Muhyiddin would have known all along that his resignation on Jan 1 needed the PN Supreme Council’s agreement for it to “fully take effect”, and that the other coalition components would be hesitant to do so with PAS looming.
He added that it was “very odd” that a meeting has not been called in nearly two weeks since Muhyiddin relinquished the post.
“It’s no wonder why PAS has been very outspoken in staking its claim about taking over PN, because they know they cannot get a unanimous vote from the Supreme Council,” he told FMT.
“I think that when Muhyiddin resigned, he knew PAS was incapable of garnering a unanimous vote for a PAS candidate to be the next chairman of PN.
“And the implicit message from the other (PN) members is that there’s no hurry to hold the meeting, which technically means Muhyiddin is still the chairman, although PAS has said they are ready to take charge,” said Azmi.
PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang had called for an emergency PN Supreme Council meeting to be held to confirm Muhyiddin’s resignation as coalition chairman and to appoint his successor.
The PN deputy chairman pointed out that it has been 10 days since Muhyiddin relinquished the post on Jan 1 but the Supreme Council had yet to meet.
Bersatu Youth chief Hilman Idham brushed this off, saying Hadi must allow component parties to make their own decisions on the matter first before convening a PN Supreme Council meeting.
Hilman also said Muhyiddin’s resignation as PN chairman had yet to fully take effect as the coalition’s constitution outlines that the resignation only comes into force after the Supreme Council agrees to it.
Muhyiddin’s resignation came in the wake of the political upheaval in Perlis, which culminated in the menteri besar’s post shifting from PAS to Bersatu and PAS opting to stay out of the new state government.
Bersatu power play behind PN delay
Polical analyst James Chin of the University of Tasmania believed a power play in Bersatu was the bigger reason behind the PN Supreme Council delay.
Chin said Bersatu was preoccupied with its internal tensions, with deputy president Hamzah Zainudin purportedly attempting to depose Muhyiddin as party president, an apparent move that has been rumoured for months and has led to the sacking of two MPs.
“Obviously, you can’t delay something like this because it looks very bad, as though the coalition isn’t run properly and you can’t even select your new chairman. So the delay is making PN look really, really bad.
“I’m not surprised that Hadi has called for a meeting. You can read it to mean that he has a fairly good idea about the candidates PAS will support or that PAS has enough numbers to push its candidate to be the new PN chairman,” he said.
Azmi pointed out that Muhyiddin may be the one who should be calling for the meeting since his resignation as PN chairman has yet to take effect.
Chin said what would be interesting is whether Bersatu leaders on the council turn up if an emergency meeting is held by PAS.
It is said that PAS’s Takiyuddin Hassan can convene the meeting since he is deputy PN secretary-general and therefore the coalition’s acting secretary-general following Azmin Ali’s resignation.
“If they don’t show up, would it mean the Supreme Council can’t make a decision and another meeting has to be called?” he said.