Masterstroke or desperate attempt?

Man of the hour: Ahmad Samsuri is viewed as a modern, pragmatic bridge capable of appealing to the urban middle class and swing voters, who have been alienated by Perikatan’s, especially PAS’, more religious and racially polarising rhetoric. — Others

PERIKATAN Nasional has a new face at the top, but the coalition is grappling with fundamental fractures. With PAS vice-president and Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar now installed as chairman, the coalition has replaced a seasoned, if embattled, political figure with a technocratic one. Yet, beneath the veneer of this “new-look” opposition coalition, the fundamental question remains: who truly owns the future of Perikatan?

For some detractors, the coalition has swapped a figurehead – Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, a leader his supporters say enjoys deep-seated popularity among the Malay electorate – for an untested state politician.