<figure id="attachment_3253329" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3253329" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-3253329" src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/020c68ac-zuhdi-marsuki-resize-bernamapic-090126.webp" alt="" width="1600" height="1000" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-3253329" class="wp-caption-text">Former central committee member Zuhdi Marsuki said that appointing anyone else from PAS as PN chairman would be against the party’s political principles. (Bernama pic)</figcaption></figure>
PETALING JAYA: Only an ulama leader should be named by PAS to head Perikatan Nasional, says former PAS central committee member Zuhdi Marsuki, who said the choice was between PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang or at minimum his deputy Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.
Zuhdi said the party had little choice but to make such a decision if it truly intends to implement the resolutions adopted at its last muktamar (general assembly).
“Appointing another figure as PN chairman to represent PAS would contradict PAS’s political principles,” he said in a Facebook post today.
&#8220;However, whoever eventually leads PN is up to the decision of the Supreme Council of the coalition. Most importantly, the chairmanship issue should not be a cause for splitting PN.&#8221;
Zuhdi&#8217;s statement comes a week after another party leader suggested party vice-president <a href="https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/01/02/samsuri-as-pn-chief-proposal-runs-into-flak" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar</a> as a possible candidate to be PN chairman to replace Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin, who resigned on Jan 1.
Hadi has expressed readiness to lead, with several names, including his own, under consideration, while speculation about the nomination of Samsuri, seen as a technocrat, arose after he had a “casual meeting&#8221; with Muhyiddin in recent days.
Zuhdi noted that PAS has long practised the principle of ulama leadership, which must continue if the party leads PN and eventually the government.
“The muktamar resolution that PAS should lead PN must be read together with the muktamar resolutions on ulama leadership that have been formulated since the early 1980s,&#8221; he said. “After that, almost every PAS muktamar has reiterated calls to strengthen ulama leadership.&#8221;
He added that those rejecting PAS’s political principles usually leave the party, citing the example of the group that later formed Amanah.

MatchPoint Times

PAS must name only ulama leader to head PN, says party man

Zuhdi Marsuki says only party chief Abdul Hadi Awang or deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man should be named, to uphold the PAS ulama leadership principle.

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