00:00As PAS begins its 71st Muktamar today, analysts expect the issue of Perikata Nacional's prime ministerial candidate for GE16 to dominate due to unease in Bersatu.
00:12Hisamuddin Bakar of Ilham Center said that while PAS had agreed in July to let Bersatu President Muhyiddin Nassin lead PN, recent events may have made the party reconsider.
00:22Muhyiddin was reaffirmed as Bersatu's candidate at its annual General Assembly last week, despite reports of signatures being collected to push him out.
00:31The Assembly saw tensions, with some calling for Muhyiddin to step down during his address, though most delegates chanted in support of him.
00:40There had been speculation that 122 division chiefs had signed statutory declarations urging Muhyiddin to immediately implement a change of leadership in Bersatu before GE16.
00:50Party Deputy President Hamza Zainuddin later pledged loyalty to Muhyiddin.
00:56Hisamuddin said speculation is now rife that PAS may want another leader as PN's candidate, signaling possible divisions within the coalition.
01:04Asmi Hassan of Academy of Santara said, PAS had been more stable than Bersatu, having retained its top five leaders unopposed, though the party still struggles with perceptions of extremism, which alienated non-Malay voters.
01:16Hisamuddin added that while PAS will remain strong in Malay-majority states, it has no clear formula to win over non-Malay voters or shift PN's broader direction.
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