PETALING JAYA: Bersatu and PAS have agreed to eliminate the Perikatan Nasional chairman post, and that will be the main agenda of tomorrow’s meeting (Jan 29), says Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
In an internal letter to the presidents of the Perikatan coalition's party components, dated January 27, Muhyiddin stated that PAS President Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang agreed to this during a meeting at Muhyiddin's house on Jan 16.
He said that two councils were mooted during the meeting - a presidential council led by Bersatu and an executive council led by PAS.
He said PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man and secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan were also present.
In the letter, Muhyiddin thanked Abdul Hadi for "resolving the issue of appointing the Chairman of Perikatan Nasional" and for "his wisdom".
"The meeting took place in a very harmonious atmosphere and successfully produced outcomes which I believe can further strengthen unity among the member parties of Perikatan Nasional. Indeed, through his wisdom, Abdul Hadi initiated the discussion by emphasising that Perikatan must remain a coalition of parties capable of attracting the support of all segments of Malaysia’s plural society.
In light of this awareness, the top leadership of Bersatu and PAS have agreed that, as a way out of the impasse regarding the appointment of a new Chairman of Perikatan, the structure of Perikatan should be reformed by establishing a Presidential Council led by Bersatu and an Executive Council led by PAS.
"The primary role of the Presidential Council is to serve as the highest body that determines Perikatan’s policies, while the Executive Council administers Perikatan in accordance with the policies set by the Presidential Council.
"With this restructuring of Perikatan, the position of Chairman of Perikatan Nasional is abolished, and the issue of appointing a Perikatan chairman will no longer arise," said Muhyiddin in the letter.
He said that this decision was then conveyed to Gerakan and MIPP, who he claimed "supported the agreement".
Further stating that he was not invited to the now-cancelled extraordinary meeting called by Takiyuddin, Muhyiddin said he decided to convene a pre-council meeting of the presidents of the four component parties of Perikatan to discuss the decisions agreed upon by PAS and Bersatu.
On Monday (Jan 26), Takiyuddin announced that Perikatan would hold an emergency supreme council meeting on Jan 29 at Gerakan headquarters in Cheras at 8.30pm.
He said the meeting would have three agenda items: First, to appoint a meeting chairman from among Perikatan’s deputy chairmen; second, to approve Muhyiddin’s resignation in accordance with the coalition’s constitution; and third, upon approval, to appoint a new Perikatan chairman.
“I invite all supreme council members to attend this emergency meeting. There are 16 supreme council members in total, including myself,” he said.
However, Takiyuddin said invitations were not extended to individuals who had already resigned.
“When Muhyiddin’s resignation took effect on Jan 1, he became functus officio," Takiyuddin said then.
The issue of who will replace Muhyiddin as Perikatan chairman became a point of contention when PAS stated that it need not be held by a party president.
