PETALING JAYA: The appointment of a new Perikatan Nasional chairman from PAS reflects a weakening coalition and a confused leadership structure, say two Amanah leaders.
Pulai MP Suhaizan Kaiat said the Opposition's leadership hierarchy remains baffling to the public, with power split between new Perikatan chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, former chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin who remains as Opposition leader despite being sacked from Bersatu.
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"A coalition aspiring to govern the country cannot have ambiguous leadership where the people are unsure who makes the decisions," he said in a statement on Wednesday (Feb 25).
"The question that should be answered by Perikatan is simple: who is deciding the direction of this coalition?"
He also asked if Ahmad Samsuri was merely a "moderate face" while the real direction is determined by PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang or others.
He said that Perikatan has been busy fighting for power rather than offering clear economic alternatives to the government's fiscal policies.
Suhaizan said Malaysians deserve an Opposition that can offer clear policies and confident leadership.
"So far, Perikatan is known for questioning every government policy without even explaining its own direction and policy.
"The people deserve an Opposition that is serious about the economy, not one that is busy fighting for power and position," he said.
Amanah vice-president Datuk Mahfuz Omar said PAS was merely "inheriting damage" from Muhyiddin’s leadership at a time when the coalition is in disarray.
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"Leadership that emerges when an organisation is cracking is merely inheriting the damage.
"It is like a football team where everyone fights to be captain when winning 3-0, but when losing 0-3, whoever takes the armband is taking on the problem, not the glory," he said in a separate statement.
Mahfuz described the handover as a strategic move by Muhyiddin to pass the burden of a weakening coalition to PAS, citing the coalition's failure to manage internal conflicts in Perlis as proof of its instability.
On Feb 13, Bersatu sacked 17 members, including several supreme council members and its deputy president, Hamzah.
This led to the resignation of several party division leaders, including 11 in Johor as well as the Johor Bersatu associate wing chief.
On Sunday (Feb 22), Ahmad Samsuri was appointed as Perikatan chairman, taking over from Muhyiddin following months of turmoil within the coalition.
