Bersatu’s resignation announcement day: Implication on some in Umno, Pas

Dec 30 2025 has become Bersatu’s resignation announcement day from the opposition alliance – Perikatan Nasional.

The resignation are all effective from Jan 1 2026. PN chairman Tan Sri Mahiaddin Yassin got the ball rolling first thing in the morning and that was followed suit by diligently by second and third tier leaders.

With Bersatu quitting position in PN, it doused talks about the revival of Muafakat Nasional – the alliance formerly made up of Pas and Umno.

Mahiaddin’s decision allowed Pas to be in the driving spot. In doing so, he also inevitably killed off talks about MN.

That also means Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Akmal Saleh would have to come up with new alternatives come Jan 3.

The Umno firebrand organised a convention to discuss the option for Umno to pull out of Madani government and withdrawing support for PH.

The most plausible option prior to Bersatu resignation announcement day was reigniting the formation of MN.

Hence it would be interesting to see what he brings to the table on Jan 3.

As for Pas, their challenges are two fold.

First up, is convincing their non-Malay components – Gerakan and MIPP.

It is a known fact that the Gerakan president Dominic Lau was given shoddy treatment during the state polls in Penang. They party has one exco in Kedah though.

Both these parties, without federal lawmakers, have been known to openly support Mahiaddin’s leadership of the federal opposition coalition.

Mahiaddin also has Ikatan Prihatin Rakyat that engages with other opposition parties that stands opposed to the government of the day.

Via IPR, Mahiaddin engaged, among others, with parties like Pejuang, Putra, Urimai, and MAP.

To date, Pas has not done much in confidence building measures to its non-Malay coalition partners.

It has Pas Supporters Congress (PSC) that caters for non-Muslim supporters but the wing serves better in the Malay heartland states, not beyond.

The majority of non-Malay voters are based in the west coast of Peninsula Malaysia.

This brings me to Pas’ biggest hurdle: winning non-Malay votes.

Their PSC doesn’t function.

Pas continues to dream of winning over the non-Malay votes while consistently paint a negative depiction on the community.

They have even shot off ludicrous ideas on how to win the votes to secure themselves in the federal government.

Bersekutu Bersatu vice chief R Sanjeevan has even admitted on a podcast that the non-Malays hesitate to support his party due to its association with Pas.

One wonders how would Pas overcome these two major hurdles.