PAS Needs Allies to Expel Bersatu from Malaysian Coalition, Says Lawyer

The Islamist party PAS would require the backing of the Malaysian People's Party (MIPP) and the Malaysian People's Movement Party (Gerakan) if it intends to oust Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) from the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition. Senior lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla explained that PAS cannot make such a decision independently.

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Pas needs the support of the Malaysian People's Movement Party (Gerakan) and the Malaysian People's Party (MIPP) if it wants to oust Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) from Perikatan Nasional (PN).

Haniff emphasized that PN is not solely owned by any single party but is a coalition formed through the collective agreement of all its component parties. Therefore, any decision regarding the status of Bersatu within the coalition must be a joint one, discussed and agreed upon by all members.

He further elaborated that the question of Bersatu's position within PN needs to be formally addressed and deliberated upon during a meeting of the PN Supreme Council. This highlights the procedural requirements and the collaborative nature of coalition politics in Malaysia, where unilateral actions are not permissible for significant decisions affecting member parties.

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Pas cannot make a unilateral decision because PN does not belong absolutely to any one party; rather, it is a coalition decided jointly by all component parties.

The legal perspective underscores the complex dynamics within the PN coalition and the potential challenges PAS might face if it seeks to remove a major component like Bersatu. The involvement of other coalition partners like Gerakan and MIPP would be crucial for any such move to be considered legitimate within the coalition's framework.

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The issue of Bersatu's position needs to be discussed in a coalition council meeting.