The party’s secretary-general, Takiyuddin Hassan, said the respective presidents of PN component parties would have to decide on whether Muhyiddin should be appointed to the post.

“No issue, but the presidential council will decide on the matter and nobody else,” he told reporters here.

Earlier today, Malaysiakini reported that PAS and Bersatu had purportedly reached an agreement for Muhyiddin to hold the top post in PN’s presidential council.

In August, it was reported that PN had officially formed its presidential council, comprising the heads of the opposition coalition’s four components.

The council was set up to resolve matters that remained deadlocked at the Supreme Council level and would “have the final say”.

Ties between PAS and Bersatu have been strained following the Perlis political crisis which saw the menteri besar’s post shift from PAS to Bersatu after Shukri Ramli resigned on Dec 25 last year, citing health reasons.

Bersatu’s Abu Bakar Hamzah was sworn in to replace him.

Eight PN assemblymen, including three from PAS, had reportedly signed statutory declarations withdrawing their support for Shukri, undermining his simple majority in the state assembly.

The crisis also triggered criticism of Bersatu by some PAS leaders, and Muhyiddin resigned as the coalition’s chairman effective Jan 1. The position remains vacant.