Hadi suitable as PN chairman, says Bersatu’s Tun Faisal

SHAH ALAM – Pas’ proposal to nominate its president, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, as the new chairman of Perikatan Nasional (PN) is seen as appropriate and well-founded.

Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) information chief Datuk Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz said Article 8.3(b) of the PN Constitution stipulates that if the chairman resigns, the resignation must take effect only after approval by the PN Supreme Council, which will then elect a new chairman as soon as possible.

Tun Faisal said Pas' proposal is in line with the coalition’s leadership hierarchy principles.

However, he said it would be inappropriate to appoint a PN chairman from among non-presidents, as the individual would be required to chair meetings attended by top leaders of component parties who also serve as PN deputy chairmen.

“After all, the president is the individual who holds the highest mandate within each party’s structure.

“I am not certain about Pas' internal structure, but generally in most political parties, the highest executive authority rests with the president.

“Therefore, appointing a PN chairman from among deputy presidents, vice-presidents or external figures could potentially create confusion in terms of members’ mandate, jurisdiction and decision-making authority,” he said in a statement on Thursday.

Sinar previously reported that Bersatu Kelantan did not rule out the possibility of Hadi being appointed as the new PN chairman to replace Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who stepped down from the position with effect from Jan 1.

Its chairman Datuk Kamaruddin Md Noor said the party took into account the status of Pas and Bersatu as the two largest parties within the coalition.

He added that Muhyiddin had previously offered the position to Hadi, but the Marang Member of Parliament had declined.

Elaborating further, Tun Faisal said deputy presidents, vice-presidents and representatives of component parties who are members of the PN Supreme Council still play important roles based on their respective positions within the coalition.

He said even without holding the post of chairman, they could still contribute significantly to PN’s effectiveness.

“However, a high level of commitment is required, including the obligation to attend every PN Supreme Council meeting, set clear key performance indicator (KPI) targets and carry out respective responsibilities diligently.

“If every member of the PN Supreme Council plays their role with full commitment, Insha-Allah, PN will grow stronger in the future,” he said.