Bersatu leaders demand PN chair Samsuri step down over 'puppet' claims

Bersatu party officials are intensifying calls for Perikatan Nasional chairman Samsuri Mokhtar to resign from his position, accusing him of being an ineffectual figurehead within the opposition alliance. Dr Afif Bahardin, a Bersatu vice-president, has urged the PAS deputy president to relinquish control of the PN coalition, arguing that leadership should revert to Muhyiddin Yassin, the alliance's founding architect. The challenge represents a significant internal power struggle within the opposition bloc, which has struggled to maintain cohesion since its formation. Samsuri, who previously served as PAS deputy president, assumed the PN chairmanship in a move that some party insiders view as sidelining Muhyiddin from the coalition's day-to-day operations. The mounting pressure from within Bersatu reflects broader tensions over the direction and leadership structure of Perikatan Nasional as the opposition seeks to strengthen its position ahead of potential electoral contests.