PAS vice-president Amar Abdullah has dismissed suggestions that Perikatan Nasional needs to appoint a new opposition leader immediately.
The Panchor assemblyman stated that while the position holds significant importance, there is no pressing urgency to fill the vacancy left by Larut MP Hamzah Zainudin, who was removed from Bersatu in February.
Addressing the timeline for the appointment, Amar explained that since the previous Parliament session concluded last month, the coalition has a window of time before the next sitting begins in late June.
Deliberation over potential candidates
Amar confirmed that the coalition has several potential candidates in mind but has refrained from making a formal announcement. He noted that the matter is not yet considered urgent given the current legislative break.
He further clarified that the final candidate has not been decided as PAS continues to evaluate several leaders for the role. This deliberate approach suggests that the coalition is prioritizing a careful selection process over a hasty appointment.
Differences in urgency within the coalition
This stance follows comments made by Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin, who expressed concern over the duration it has taken for the coalition to name a successor to Hamzah. On Sunday, Muhyiddin insisted that the leadership issue must be resolved quickly.
The former Perikatan Nasional chairman remarked that the appointment should not be a difficult matter to settle. He revealed that he had already communicated with the coalition’s Supreme Council to urge for an expedited decision, though he noted that no action had been taken following his request.
