PN Restructure: Muhyiddin Axes Chairman Role, New Councils Formed

Muhyiddin Yassin, former chairman of Malaysia’s Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, has invited component party presidents to a meeting at his residence after a planned supreme council meeting – one with an agenda to appoint a new chairman – was cancelled.

PN Leadership Dispute

Muhyiddin acknowledged in a letter on Tuesday that PN deputy secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan issued an invitation notice on Jan. 24 for an extraordinary supreme council meeting scheduled for Jan. 29, from which Muhyiddin was excluded. The notice included the appointment of a new PN chairman as an agenda item.

Muhyiddin stated this agenda was inconsistent with a consensus reached by the leadership of Bersatu and PAS on Jan. 16, 2026, and agreed upon by the presidents of Gerakan and MIPP. He asserted that, in line with the spirit of consensus among PN component parties, the meeting should be cancelled.

In place of the supreme council meeting, Muhyiddin invited all PN component party presidents to a pre-council meeting at his residence on the same date and time. He expressed a desire to return to a path of consensus to resolve PN’s internal crisis harmoniously.

Takiyuddin subsequently issued a cancellation of the planned PN supreme council meeting on Jan. 27, following Muhyiddin’s letter. Prior to the cancellation, Takiyuddin dismissed suggestions that excluding Muhyiddin from the meeting violated PN’s constitution, stating that Muhyiddin’s resignation, effective Jan. 1, was legally valid.

Takiyuddin explained that while the resignation needed formal acceptance by the PN supreme council, Muhyiddin’s stated resignation date rendered him functus officio – having completed its function – from a legal perspective. He added that the matter would still be presented to the supreme council for endorsement, as reported by news site Malaysiakini.

Political Crisis in Perlis

Muhyiddin’s resignation as PN chairman followed a political crisis in the state of Perlis, where PN controls the state assembly. The crisis involved the resignation of PAS’ Sanglang assemblyman Mohd Shukri Ramli as chief minister, replaced by Bersatu’s Kuala Perlis assemblyman Abu Bakar Hamzah. More information on the appointment can be found here.

Shukri’s resignation occurred after eight statutory declarations were signed by state assemblymen – three from PAS and five from Bersatu – retracting their support for him. Perlis’ state assembly consists of 15 seats, with PAS holding six, Bersatu holding five, and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s Parti Keadilan Rakyat holding one, following the removal of the three PAS assemblymen who withdrew their support for Shukri.

PAS stated it would support the stability of the Perlis state government but would refrain from joining the state executive council in solidarity with the ousted Shukri.