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After months of speculation that PAS and Bersatu were no longer moving in the same direction, the Islamist party has finally announced that it is severing all political ties with its Perikatan Nasional (PN) ally.
In a statement issued late Monday night, PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang said the party’s Central Working Committee had decided to end its political cooperation with Bersatu.
The decision came after the PAS central committee reviewed the current position and future direction of PAS-Bersatu relations based on reports, studies and prevailing assessments.
“The Central Working Committee has decided to stop political cooperation with Bersatu,” Abdul Hadi said in the statement.
The move finally ended the relationship between what is arguably the strongest Malay opposition bloc post-2018, after months of growing speculation over tensions between the two parties.
Despite ending its alliance with Bersatu, PAS said it remained committed to the principle of Muslim unity and would continue exploring new forms of political understanding and electoral cooperation ahead of the upcoming state elections and the 16th General Election (GE16).
According to Abdul Hadi, the party’s decision was made in line with a resolution adopted by the PAS Syura Council on June 2.
The meeting also added that there are growing interest among academics, professionals, political leaders and civil society activists to join PAS.
READ MORE: Bersatu To Deliberate Abdul Hadi’s Cutting Ties Remarks
READ MORE: Expelled But Not Out: How Three Perlis Assemblymen Exposed PAS’ Bai’ah Dilemma
Although both PAS and Bersatu have been at odds for some time, tensions between the two PN components escalated following the political upheaval in Perlis earlier this year.
The rift became more pronounced after Datuk Seri Mohd Shukri Ramli was forced to relinquish his position as Perlis Menteri Besar, paving the way for Bersatu’s Datuk Abu Bakar Hamzah to assume the post.
The development sparked anger within PAS, with leaders and grassroots members accusing Bersatu of betraying its long-time ally in a bid to wrest control of the state’s top executive position. PAS leaders maintained that the move was orchestrated by Bersatu despite the latter insisting that Abu Bakar’s appointment was made in accordance with the wishes of the Perlis Palace and was beyond the party’s control.
What initially appeared to be a disagreement over the Perlis leadership soon evolved into a bigger strain in relations between the two parties, with public exchanges and competing narratives exposing growing cracks within the opposition coalition.
The friction resurfaced again months later during the political impasse in Negeri Sembilan in April, where PAS openly expressed dissatisfaction with Bersatu’s stance.
READ MORE: Umno-PH Close Ranks In Negeri Sembilan
The Islamist party reportedly took issue with Bersatu’s decision to remain neutral despite having withdrawn support for the Pakatan Harapan administration led by Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun.
PAS leaders viewed Bersatu’s refusal to fully back efforts aimed at toppling the state government as a sign that the party was unwilling to stand firmly alongside its coalition partner, further deepening mistrust between the two sides.
The series of disputes fuelled speculation that the once-close partnership between PAS and Bersatu had become increasingly untenable, culminating in PAS’ decision on Monday to formally end its political cooperation with the party.
However, the implications for PN remain unclear, particularly as the coalition’s chairmanship is currently held by PAS vice-president and Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Mohd Samsuri Mokhtar.
READ MORE: Samsuri Emerging As Possible PM Candidate But Muhyiddin Remains Influential, Analysts Say
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PAS Officially Dumps Bersatu After Months Of Bitter Relationship
Entertainment Flash Report
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