PERIKATAN Nasional (PN) leaders have shot down suggestions to replace Muhyiddin Yassin and Abdul Hadi Awang with new faces following the coalition's defeat at the Kuala Kubu Baru by-election.
The leaders said Bersatu president Muhyiddin and PAS president Hadi are still needed to lead the opposition coalition in the future.
They were responding to former Umno minister Zaid Ibrahim, who urged PAS and Bersatu to replace their leaders as the parties have not progressed despite making inroads into many Malay-majority constituencies.
Bersatu deputy president Ahmad Faizal Azumu told The Vibes Muhyiddin was "irreplaceable".
"Thank you for your concern but we are doing all right," said the former Perak menteri mesar.
"We have never thought of replacing Muhyiddin. We stll need him as our leader"
PAS deputy president said Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said Hadi was still popular among the Islamic party members.
"I don't see anything important in his (Zaid's) statement. We did great in the last general election and state polls.
"PN still wants Muhyiddin and Hadi to lead their respective parties. Their replacement, when it does happen, will be decided by the party members, not by outsiders," said Tuan Ibrahim.
Zaid had said that Pakatan Harapan won in KKB because PN had nothing to offer, saying that the coalition leaders were old, not just in age but in ideas.
“Muhyiddin constantly talks about his considerable achievements as a national leader, but that’s in the past. What does he have to offer for the future? Nothing. It’s time he steps down," Zaid had said.
“Hadi only talks about the fear of DAP and of what has happened to the Malays in Singapore. These scare tactics no longer work. It’s time he steps down too."
Hard to replace
Ilham Centre executive director Hisomuddin Bakar said it was hard for a party to replace its top leadership with new faces as this could lead to internal strife.
"It isn't that simple. It will create friction within the party," he said.
"This applies not just to PAS or Bersatu but to Pakatan Harapan. It is easy for outsiders to talk but it's not easy for any party to change its top leaders."
James Chin at Tasmania University said it would be easier for Bersatu to change leaders than PAS.
He said party secretary-general Hamzah Zainuddin was the best person to replace Muhyiddin but Selangor Bersatu chief Mohamad Azmin Ali also had a change.
"Hamzah's closest challenger is Azmin. There is no one besides the two," he said.
Chin said replacing Hadi was a more complicated process as there is no clear leader who could match the leader's strong influence in PAS.
"He has been at the ahead for more than 20 years. Traditionally it is hard to replace a PAS leader unless he steps down.
"The person to replace Hadi has to have strong Islamic credentials. The professionals in PAS will have a tough time," Chin added.
At the Kuala Kubu Baru by-election, Pang Sock Tao of DAP won the election after receiving 14,000 votes, defeating PN's Khairul Azhari Saut who got 10,131 votes.
Independent candidate Nyau Ke Xin obtained 188 votes and PRM's Hafizah Zainudin, 152 votes.
There are 40,226 registered voters in the constituency, made up of a mixed electorate of Malays (53.4%), Chinese (30.5%), and Indians (15.82%). The remainder is made up of Orang Asli and others.
Voter turnout at the polls was 61.51%, one of the lowest among the by-elections held after the 2022 general election. – May 15, 2024.
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