Muhyiddin: Perikatan has shut Bersatu out, Umno alliance ‘not genuine Malay unity’

KUALA LUMPUR, July 17 — Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today that Perikatan Nasional (PN) had sidelined one of its founding parties. 

He said the PAS-led coalition’s pursuit of an alliance with Umno reflects political expediency rather than genuine Malay unity.

In a statement posted on Facebook today, the former prime minister said Bersatu had been excluded from key decisions, particularly over seat allocations for the Negeri Sembilan state election.

His remarks came a day after PN chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar said preliminary talks with Barisan Nasional (BN) had been conducted with his knowledge and later endorsed by the coalition’s supreme council, rejecting suggestions that PAS had acted unilaterally.

Muhyiddin claimed Bersatu’s rights as a founding member of PN had been denied, alleging that negotiations over Negeri Sembilan seat allocations were halted on “unreasonable” grounds and that the party was not invited to the special PN supreme council meeting that finalised the distribution of seats among component parties.

“So why is Bersatu accused of acting ahead of the council’s decision when we were not even invited to the meeting?” he said.

His remarks were also in response to criticism from former Umno secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa, who said Bersatu had voluntarily parted ways (mufarakah) with PN.

Muhyiddin rejected the allegation, insisting Bersatu had never chosen to leave the coalition.

On PN’s negotiations with BN, Muhyiddin noted that Ahmad Samsuri had acknowledged authorising the talks, but argued that any decision involving coalition policy should first have been brought before the PN supreme council.

“Instead, the negotiations were conducted without involving all component parties and without a mandate from the supreme council. Only after a decision on cooperation had been made was it brought before the supreme council. This is a backward way of doing things.

“Throughout the five years I led PN, I never sidelined any component party in the coalition’s decision-making process, including on party policies and election seat allocations. Meetings and negotiations involved all parties, and every decision was made in an orderly manner. Today, everything has descended into chaos,” he said.

Muhyiddin also dismissed Annuar’s claim that Bersatu had obstructed Malay unity as “highly irresponsible”, saying he had founded Bersatu as a Malay Bumiputera party and that its commitment to Malay unity had never wavered.

He said his original vision for PN was to create an umbrella coalition bringing together Malay-based parties, including Umno, alongside multiracial parties. 

However, he claimed Umno had refused to join the coalition or become part of the PN administration, with only its MPs backing the government before later helping to bring it down.

Muhyiddin said the PAS-led PN leadership was now seeking cooperation with Umno despite the latter remaining aligned with Pakatan Harapan, including DAP.

“PAS has severed ties with Bersatu, and the Malay party that I lead has been sidelined by Perikatan Nasional.

“This is not genuine Malay unity. This is merely a realignment of political power. Nevertheless, I wish Perikatan Nasional all the best,” he said.

Muhyiddin said Bersatu would “not look back” and would instead continue moving forward in pursuit of its struggle “for Malaysia and all its people”.

The Negeri Sembilan state election will be held on August 1, with nomination day on July 18 and early voting on July 28.