KUALA LUMPUR – Perikatan Nasional (PN) leaders have dismissed speculation of a rift with PAS after its president, Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awan,g skipped a closed-door discussion at former PN chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s residence last night.
Parti Rakyat India Malaysia (MIPP) president P Punithan said the absence did not indicate internal conflict, stressing that relations among PN component parties, including PAS, remained intact.
“Everything is okay. PN is stable,” Punithan told reporters after the meeting at Muhyiddin’s home in Bukit Damansara, reported Berita Harian. He added that discussions among party leaders at Muhyiddin’s residence were focused on determining PN’s direction.
The meeting followed the last-minute cancellation of a PN Supreme Council meeting, which was expected to address Muhyiddin’s resignation as PN chairman effective Jan 1 and the next steps for the coalition’s leadership.
Those present included Punithan and Gerakan president Dominic Lau. Abdul Hadi’s absence was confirmed by PN sources, although no reason was given.
The developments come amid ongoing differences between Bersatu and PAS over PN’s leadership structure following Muhyiddin’s resignation. Muhyiddin had previously proposed restructuring the coalition by abolishing the PN chairman post and replacing it with two councils, a proposal that PAS later rejected.
PAS said the move would contravene PN’s constitution and risk issues with the Registrar of Societies, and clarified that no agreement had been reached on abolishing the chairman’s position.
Punithan said PAS had not explained Abdul Hadi’s absence, describing it as a “normal occurrence” in politics, and said discussions with PAS would continue.
He added that a PN Supreme Council meeting could still be held in the near term, subject to agreement among all component parties.
Lau, when approached by reporters, declined to comment on the details of the meeting, saying only that “everything is okay”. – January 30, 2026