Perikatan Nasional focuses on unity and election prep; Muhyiddin ruled out as prime minister candidate
PETALING JAYA: “What is certain is that Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is no longer the prime ministerial candidate for Perikatan Nasional (PN).”
The statement was made by the coalition’s newly appointed chairman, Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, in a Facebook post today.
According to the PAS vice-president and Menteri Besar of Terengganu, the immediate priority for PN is to strengthen the opposition bloc as it prepares for the next general election.
However, Samsuri made it clear that Muhyiddin will not be the coalition’s candidate for the premiership.
He was responding to Muhyiddin’s recent remarks during an interview with several media outlets, in which the former prime minister said that Samsuri’s role as PN chairman does not make him the coalition’s candidate for prime minister.
Acknowledging the remark, Samsuri said the coalition’s current focus lies elsewhere.
“Whoever the candidate may be, our priority now is to strengthen PN and reinforce unity across the country so that we are better prepared to face the coming election,” he said.
He added that discussions on PN’s prime ministerial candidate are not an immediate priority.
“Whoever becomes the candidate will be decided at the appropriate time,” he said.
Samsuri was appointed PN chairman on 22 February, more than a month after the position was vacated following Muhyiddin’s resignation on 30 December 2025, which took effect on 1 January this year.
Muhyiddin had led the coalition since 7 August 2020.
During a special meeting of PN’s Supreme Council held at the PAS headquarters and chaired by Muhyiddin himself, members unanimously agreed to appoint Samsuri as the new chairman with immediate effect.
Those present included the presidents of PN component parties: PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, Bersatu president Muhyiddin, Gerakan president Dominic Lau, and Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP) president P. Punithan.
In the interview with local media outlets, Muhyiddin said PN has yet to decide on its prime ministerial candidate, adding that Samsuri’s appointment as chairman does not automatically make him the coalition’s candidate for the post.
