‘Kiss-and-make up’ between PAS and Bersatu?

THIS could be the biggest moment in Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar’s political journey now that he has been named the new Perikatan Nasional chairman.

The aerospace engineer has been like a comet in the PAS sky, shooting up to become Terengganu Mentri Besar in 2018 after spending 10 years as the political secretary to PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang.

But more than that, Ahmad Samsuri who has long been Hadi’s blue-eyed boy, is one of two figures in PAS - the other being secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan - who are able to whisper in their president’s ears.

The fact that Bersatu, which had initially pressed for Hadi to assume the post, has accepted Ahmad Samsuri suggests that the coalition knows its image has sunk in the eyes of the people and is anxious to put the crisis behind them.

If they cannot manage their own house how are they to manage the country?

But is Ahmad Samsuri really in charge the way Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was when he chaired the Perikatan supreme council?

Insider accounts suggest that the real power in Perikatan now lies in the presidential council chaired by Muhyiddin and comprising the presidents of PAS, Gerakan and MIPP.

Major decisions like policies and election candidates will be decided by the top-guns in the presidential council whereas Ahmad Samsuri and the supreme council will take charge of the day-to-day running of the coalition.

Muhyiddin, who chaired his final Perikatan supreme council meeting on Sunday as the outgoing chief, was aware of speculation that he regretted resigning. He stressed that he is serious about letting go and urged everyone to accept his resignation.

It was quite evident that the horse-trading had been done behind the scenes and Sunday’s meeting was merely to endorse the agreements made because the meeting was over in less than 30 minutes.

To make a long story short, Muhyiddin is no longer in charge of the Perikatan supreme council but he will be calling the shots as chairman of the presidential council.

It is the perfect example of how you can turn a bad situation to your advantage.

PAS, on its part, is an expert at playing the long game. Many noticed that even at the height of the fallout with Bersatu and despite its preference for Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, the party never spoke of leaving Perikatan.

Bersatu needs PAS to survive but PAS needs Perikatan to go further.

People think they are a bunch of jokers but they are actually much more focused than we think.

A highly-placed Perikatan source said a think-tank associated with the Terengganu government found that rural Malays see Muhyiddin as the most suitable leader.

The think-tank survey also indicated that Bersatu’s sacking of Hamzah had quite limited impact on the ground although that could be because the Bersatu base is far more narrow than what it is made out to be.

Malay sentiment about Perikatan also seems unaffected by the political troubles because Selangor, Pahang and Perak are apparently still quite shaky for the unity government.

The storm that rocked Perikatan appears to have passed but the crisis in Bersatu has yet to blow over.

Hamzah took two big names with him, that is, Sabah chief Datuk Dr Ronald Kiandee and former Melaka chief Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin who shines in Parliament.

The resignations taking place in one division after another has also shaken the party.

With Hamzah out, the way is cleared for secretary-general Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali to move up. But can Azmin rebuild the fractured party?

The Hamzah faction put up a big show of welcoming Ahmad Samsuri’s appointment.

Photos of the two men have popped up on social media to suggest that Ahmad Samsuri will look out for Hamzah regardless of where the latter lands in the coming months.

They have also been taking pot shots at vice-president Datuk Mohd Radzi Jidin who surprised everyone when he chose to go with Muhyiddin.

The Hamzah group wanted him on their side because Radzi came in top among the three elected vice-presidents and his spot as Putrajaya MP carried a certain clout and glamour.

Muhyiddin “rewarded” Radzi by appointing him as co-acting deputy president alongside Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu who is also a vice-president.

But Radzi is still trying to live down that horrible episode where he screamed “peliwat” (sodomist) like a deranged man in Parliament. That was highly unparliamentary behaviour and revealed a disturbing side to his personality.

PAS and Bersatu appear to have kissed and made up but their ties will be tested in the coming months.

Hamzah is said to be trying to take over Berjasa, a mosquito party from Kelantan. If he succeeds, will Perikatan accept the party given the bad blood that still flows like tap water?

The Melaka state election due before the end of year will be another big test.

The Bersatu power struggle had centred around unbridled ambitions and the question of who should be the next president and also the prime minister candidate.

However, with the rise of Ahmad Samsuri, there is now speculation that PAS is also in the running for the prime minister post.

“It is like a never-ending beauty contest and we still don’t know who will wear the crown,” said lawyer and political commentator Ivanpal S. Grewal.

> The views expressed here are entirely the writer’s own