PETALING JAYA: PAS has maintained that a plan to remove former Perlis menteri besar Shukri Ramli did exist, citing admissions from three former party assemblymen who allegedly signed statutory declarations with Bersatu representatives in December 2025.
Rejecting Bersatu’s assertion that no such move had taken place, PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari said the party conducted its own investigation into the events leading up to Shukri’s resignation in December.
PAS cites findings from internal investigation
According to Fadhli, the investigation confirmed the existence of the plot based on statements made by three former PAS assemblymen.
“Our investigation found that this plot existed, based on the admissions of the three former PAS assemblymen, witnessed by the entire PAS central committee and the Perlis PAS leadership,” he said in a Facebook post.
Fadhli also questioned Bersatu’s decision to submit Kuala Perlis assemblyman Abu Bakar Hamzah’s name as its candidate for the menteri besar position before holding discussions with PAS.
He said there was no assurance that similar actions would not be repeated in future involving candidates for menteri besar or even prime minister.
“At the moment, I do not see such guarantees. Explanations can always come later. What matters to some parties is obtaining the position and taking the oath first before providing reasons afterwards,” he said.
Three former assemblymen seek return to PAS
Saad Seman of Chuping, Fakhrul Anwar Ismail of Bintong and Ridzuan Hashim of Guar Sanji had their PAS memberships terminated after withdrawing support for Shukri.
Their seats were subsequently declared vacant after the Perlis state assembly speaker ruled that the termination of their memberships did not constitute dismissals.
On Saturday, the trio said they were awaiting approval for their applications to rejoin PAS.
Shukri stepped down as menteri besar on Dec 25, citing health reasons. Abu Bakar was sworn in as his successor three days later.
Trust remains key issue between PN allies
Fadhli was responding to a letter from Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin to the PAS leadership, in which he reiterated that Bersatu had never betrayed PAS by attempting to remove Shukri.
Muhyiddin also referred to developments in Negeri Sembilan in April, when 14 Umno assemblymen withdrew support for Menteri Besar Aminuddin Harun, who is also a PKR vice-president.
After the Umno representatives were instructed to continue supporting Aminuddin, Muhyiddin said Bersatu intended to withdraw its statement backing Umno’s effort to form a new state government, but PAS did not respond.
Fadhli argued that there had been no urgency for Perikatan Nasional to decide whether to retract its support, as a new state government would not have been formed regardless.
The Pasir Mas MP said the episodes in Perlis and Negeri Sembilan had significantly affected the level of trust between PAS and Bersatu.
While acknowledging Muhyiddin’s sincerity in the letter, Fadhli said actions carried greater weight than words.
“The relationship can continue. Cooperation can be strengthened again. But trust is another matter altogether. Trust, once broken, is hard to rebuild.
“In my view, whatever decision PAS makes regarding its relationship with Bersatu will certainly take into account both the current circumstances and past incidents that have affected the trust we placed in Bersatu,” he said.
