Two small parties, one big decision: Hadi puts Gerakan and MIPP at centre of Perikatan power play

MARANG, June 12 — PAS will decide on Bersatu’s future in Perikatan Nasional (PN) at its central working committee meeting next Wednesday, party president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang confirmed today, days after political cooperation between the coalition’s two biggest parties collapsed.

Hadi said any expulsion from PN must be backed by a majority of the coalition’s four component parties: PAS, Bersatu, Gerakan and the Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP).

“Based on the PN constitution, the removal of any component party requires a majority decision by the member parties,” he was quoted by the New Straits Times as telling reporters after Friday prayers at Masjid Rusila here this afternoon.

Hadi said PAS would leave it to both parties to choose between PAS and Bersatu in charting the coalition’s direction.

According to the news report, several top PN leaders met representatives of Gerakan and MIPP yesterday to discuss the coalition’s latest status.

Hadi maintained that PAS now holds the PN chairmanship, with Bersatu remaining a member for the time being – but signalled the party wants to undo decisions made under the previous chairman, Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

“It is up to those two parties whether to support Bersatu or PAS, but based on the constitution, the chairman has powers, including determining election logos and other matters.

“The previous PN chairman made that ruling to bind us, which is why we want to break free from that,” the Marang MP was quoted as saying.

PAS announced the end of its political cooperation with Bersatu last Monday, throwing the future of the opposition coalition into doubt ahead of the next general election.