Bersatu information chief Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz said doing so would show PAS’s respect for its fellow Perikatan Nasional components, namely Bersatu, Gerakan and the Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP).

“PAS Youth should get the party’s muktamar to propose its prime ministerial candidate, not Perikatan Nasional’s.

“After that, the matter can be discussed at the PN Supreme Council, out of respect for PN components,” Tun Faisal told FMT.

In a Facebook post, PAS Youth had floated the idea of Samsuri as the party’s prime ministerial candidate, which comes just two days after the Terengganu menteri besar was appointed as PN chairman.

The PAS wing said Samsuri was a calm and results-focussed technocrat who has taken Terengganu to greater heights under his leadership.

In September, Bersatu’s general assembly had unanimously nominated its president, Muhyiddin Yassin, as its prime ministerial candidate.

At the time, PAS election director Sanusi Nor advised Bersatu not to act overly eager in making major political decisions in PN’s name.

However, Tun Faisal said this resolution was in accordance with the party’s rules and constitution, while taking into account Muhyiddin’s merits and experience as a former prime minister.

He also said the proposal must still be brought to the PN presidential council for a final decision.

MIPP had also named Muhyiddin as its preferred prime ministerial candidate for PN during its annual assembly held in October.