“That’s not true. We want PN to continue to stay united,” PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said after attending the retreat here.

PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan also said the four PN component parties remain committed to working together.

“We are already in a coalition. There’s no way we would sideline anyone. The four parties in PN remain intact,” he said, referring to PAS, Bersatu, Gerakan and the Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP).

PAS spiritual leader Hashim Jasin had suggested that the party go solo in the next general election if the deadlock over the new PN chairman persists.

Hadi’s absence at a meeting of PN leaders at Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin’s residence on Jan 29 also led to speculation about PAS’s commitment to the coalition.

No plot against Muhyiddin

Hadi rubbished allegations that PAS is working to remove Muhyiddin from his post as Bersatu president, after he stepped down as PN chairman on Jan 1.

He said the three-day retreat focused solely on PAS’s plans to strengthen the party and promote unity within PN.

Yesterday, Muhyiddin’s former principal private secretary said the consistent attacks from within and outside the party, including PN component parties, were aimed at forcing the Bersatu president to vacate his post.

Marzuki Mohamad said Muhyiddin has faced increased criticism from several quarters, including PAS leaders who have openly used phrases such as “get lost” and “your time is finished” against him.

PAS had laid claim to the PN chairmanship after Muhyiddin stepped down, but Hadi has ruled out taking over the post himself for health reasons.

Muhyiddin contends that his successor should be a party president, but PAS disagrees.

Tensions between both parties came to a head after Muhyiddin claimed PAS and Bersatu agreed to abolish the PN chairman’s post at the meeting at his house, but PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said the matter was not discussed.