SHAH ALAM – Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) decision to appoint Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar as chairman is viewed as a strategic move by Pas to consolidate its influence within the coalition ahead of the 16th general election.
However, analysts warned that unresolved tensions among PN component parties could undermine efforts to project unity going into GE16.
Political analyst Arif Anwar Lokmanol Hakim said the appointment was significant as Samsuri, also known as Dr Sam was among Pas’ most credible senior leaders.
“It is indeed quite significant because Dr Sam is among the most credible top leaders within Pas, given his educational background, his position as a Member of Parliament and his administrative track record,” he said when contacted today.
Arif said the PN chairman’s role was often associated with being the prime ministerial candidate should the coalition form the federal government.
“The position of PN chairman is usually associated with being the prime ministerial candidate if PN forms the federal government with the most seats in GE16,” he said.
However, he said Bersatu could challenge that assumption as it may want to elevate Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as the prime ministerial candidate.
“So far, Pas does not appear to have made strong efforts to promote him on social media, and he is not particularly popular among grassroots voters who are not deeply engaged in politics,” Arif added.
He said Dr Sam’s limited presence in parliamentary debates due to his role as Terengganu Menteri Besar meant his national profile would need to be strengthened before he could broaden his appeal.
Arif highlighted that Dr Sam’s administrative style in Terengganu and his parliamentary speech last August reflected a technocratic approach compared to other Pas leaders with prime ministerial ambitions.
However, he said voters, particularly young Malays concerned about cost-of-living issues, wanted clarity on how Dr Sam intended to deliver his governance vision at the national level.
Arif also said Dr Sam was expected to defer to Pas president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang on major decisions and questioned whether he could resolve internal rifts within Bersatu.
He said tensions involving former Bersatu deputy president, Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin and Muhyiddin, as well as reluctance among Gerakan, MIPP and Bersatu to concede leadership influence to Pas, posed challenges to PN cohesion.
According to Arif, support from Hamzah and his faction would strengthen Dr Sam’s position, particularly if PN faced future realignments involving Bersatu or its partners.
He said PN’s prospects in GE16 would ultimately depend on internal unity, noting that prolonged fragmentation within PN and Pakatan Harapan could benefit Umno through vote-splitting.
“If Pas previously struggled to mediate Umno–Bersatu conflicts, can it manage this internal dynamic successfully? That remains to be seen,” he said.
Meanwhile, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia political analyst Associate Professor Dr Mazlan Ali said Dr Sam’s appointment signalled PN’s prime ministerial candidate for the upcoming general election.
“Although Pas previously said it would not name a prime minister until after the election, the PN chairman is officially the person who leads PN into GE16,” he said.
Mazlan said PN faced an uphill battle as Dr Sam lacked federal-level experience compared to senior figures such as Hadi and Muhyiddin.
He said while Dr Sam had a professional and technocratic image, Pas’ Islamic narrative could limit support among non-Malay and urban voters.
Mazlan also noted that some non-Malay PN component parties had previously opposed a Pas-led chairmanship, fearing it could alienate certain voter segments.
He said Dr Samsuri’s two terms as Terengganu Menteri Besar had yet to produce a strong performance record at the national level.
Mazlan added that uniting PN would be difficult given Bersatu’s internal problems following Hamzah’s dismissal as deputy president.
He said Hamzah’s potential formation of a new party and Pas’ perceived closeness to him could further complicate relations with Bersatu and its leadership.
“In terms of technocratic credentials, he has the advantage, but the image of Pas can create an unproductive perception among non-Malay and urban voters,” Mazlan said.
Mazlan said Dr Sam would require backing not only from Pas but also from Muhyiddin, Hamzah and non-Malay PN partners to build momentum for GE16.
He added that Dr Sam was not as popular as several other Pas leaders and lacked the national recognition enjoyed by Muhyiddin or Hamzah.
“He will face a tough challenge against BN and PH, but we need to give him a chance to demonstrate his ability to lead PN,” he said.