Former Malaysian PM Muhyiddin says he will quit as chair of opposition bloc PN
Former international trade and industry minister Mohamed Azmin Ali also announced his resignation as Perikatan Nasional's secretary-general.
Malaysian opposition leader and former premier Muhyiddin Yassin speaks during an interview in Kuala Lumpur on Jul 27, 2023. (File photo: Reuters/Hasnoor Hussain)
KUALA LUMPUR: Former Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said on Tuesday (Dec 30) he will resign as chairman of the opposition bloc Perikatan Nasional (PN), effective Jan 1.
Hours later, former international trade and industry minister Mohamed Azmin Ali also announced his resignation as the coalition’s secretary-general as well as from his post as the chairman of the Selangor State PN Liaison Committee.
In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Muhyiddin thanked those in the bloc's leadership "who have given me their full support during my time leading PN since its establishment five years ago".
"I wish the PN leadership and the component parties all the best," said Muhyiddin, 78.
Azmin meanwhile said that his appointment as PN's secretary-general fell under Muhyiddin's jurisdiction as the coalition chairman.
“Therefore, I am also resigning as the secretary-general of Perikatan Nasional starting Jan 1, 2026,” he wrote on Facebook, adding that his resignation as Selangor PN liaison chief will take effect on the same date.
Others who have since resigned from their posts in the coalition as of Tuesday include Sahruddin Jamal (Johor PN chief), Ahmad Faizal Azumu (Perak PN chief) and Mohamad Hanifah Abu Baker (Negeri Sembilan PN chief).
The PN coalition – which was formed in February 2020 – is made up of Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) among others. Muhyiddin is the president of Bersatu while Azmin, 61, is party secretary-general.
Muhyiddin did not reveal the reasons behind his resignation from PN, but it came following a political crisis in the northeastern state of Perlis, whose state assembly is controlled by PN.
The upheaval saw PAS’ Sanglang assemblyman Mohd Shukri Ramli resigning as chief minister and Bersatu’s Kuala Perlis assemblyman Abu Bakar Hamzah replacing him in the post.
Shukri’s resignation came after eight statutory declarations were signed by state assemblymen – three from PAS and five from Bersatu – retracting their support for him.
There are 15 seats in Perlis’ state assembly, and the three PAS assemblymen have since been sacked by the Islamist party. PAS holds six of the remaining seats, Bersatu holds five, and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s Parti Keadilan Rakyat holds one.
In a statement on Tuesday, PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said that the party has looked into and weighed its options in relation to the developments in Perlis and the PN coalition.
On strengthening the coalition, Takiyuddin said that PAS urges everyone to engage in “self-reflection and to take lessons from what has occurred”, though he did not specify what he is alluding to.
“PAS also hereby offers its readiness to lead PN for the purpose of strengthening the coalition and its preparations in facing the state elections and the 16th General Election,” said Takiyuddin.
Earlier, PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari said that his party will put forward a candidate to take over as PN chairman.
“This individual does not necessarily have to be the party president, but rather someone who is trusted to unite and mobilise the strengths of the parties within PN.
“A restructuring of PN’s organisation will certainly be carried out to place greater emphasis on grassroots and organisational work moving forward,” he wrote in a Facebook post.
Ahmad Fadhli – who is also the Member of Parliament for Pasir Mas – added that Muhyiddin’s decision to relinquish the PN chairmanship was wise and timely, stressing that the coalition needs fresh momentum as it prepares for the next general election.
MUHYIDDIN’S WOES
Separately, Bersatu has been beset by turmoil over Muhyiddin’s leadership of the party.
There have been growing calls by his one-time loyalists for him to step down as president in favour of deputy president Hamzah Zainuddin, 68, political observers previously told CNA.
Earlier in September, at its annual general meeting, Bersatu unanimously endorsed Muhyiddin as its prime minister candidate ahead of the next general election, which must be held by February 2028.
But the Bersatu meeting was rocked by a public display of dissent against Muhyiddin, with some delegates heckling him to step down as president.
Speaking earlier at the meeting, Muhyiddin had criticised plans to "topple the president" via the collection of statutory declarations from party members, saying that this was against Bersatu's constitution.
Days after the meeting, PN coalition partner PAS also openly hinted its reluctance to support Muhyiddin as the PM candidate.
In a veiled criticism, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said that he was not fit to be PN’s prime ministerial candidate due to his age and health, maintaining that a healthier leader should be nominated, news outlet Free Malaysia Today had reported.
Abdul Hadi, 78, had added then that the Islamist party would choose someone who is “healthy and under 70 years old” as its prime minister candidate.
He later said that he was not targeting anyone in his remarks, and had meant that he and PAS spiritual leader Hashim Jasin, 86, were too old for the role.
In 2023, Muhyiddin had also caused a stir when he backpedalled on his decision not to defend his presidency at Bersatu’s internal polls that year.
He had said then that what his wife had told him had made him reconsider his earlier decision.
Muhyiddin was Malaysia’s eighth prime minister and held office from March 2020 to August 2021.
Earlier in November, a Malaysian High Court declared that Muhyiddin’s corruption trial would begin in early March 2026. He is facing charges of abuse of power and soliciting bribes amounting to RM232.5 million (US$57.4 million) during his 17-month premiership.
