'Leaked letters' fuels calls for Muhyiddin to resign as Bersatu president
Alyaa Alhadjri
Published: Jan 29, 2026 8:10 PM
Updated: 11:10 PM
Calls for Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin to step down intensified ahead of a scheduled gathering of top Perikatan Nasional leaders at the former premier’s home tonight.
This follows yesterday's leaked correspondence between Muhyiddin and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, which revealed that both leaders are at odds over the coalition’s leadership direction.
Since then, two sacked Bersatu leaders – Temerloh MP Saifuddin Abdullah and Tasek Gelugor MP Wan Saiful Wan Jan – as well as suspended Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayshal Wan Ahmad Kamal had separately demanded Muhyiddin’s resignation.
Met in Parliament today, Saifuddin said Hadi’s response to Muhyiddin has served as an “added reason” for the former premier to resign from leading the party.
He also said the main question is not who leaked the letters, but rather the contents.
Published: Jan 29, 2026 8:10 PM
Updated: 11:10 PM
Calls for Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin to step down intensified ahead of a scheduled gathering of top Perikatan Nasional leaders at the former premier’s home tonight.
This follows yesterday's leaked correspondence between Muhyiddin and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, which revealed that both leaders are at odds over the coalition’s leadership direction.
Since then, two sacked Bersatu leaders – Temerloh MP Saifuddin Abdullah and Tasek Gelugor MP Wan Saiful Wan Jan – as well as suspended Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayshal Wan Ahmad Kamal had separately demanded Muhyiddin’s resignation.
Met in Parliament today, Saifuddin said Hadi’s response to Muhyiddin has served as an “added reason” for the former premier to resign from leading the party.
He also said the main question is not who leaked the letters, but rather the contents.
Saifuddin Abdullah
“The issue is that when Muhyiddin sent a letter to the presidents of the other component parties, describing his meeting with the PAS president, it included things that were not actually discussed.
“That led Hadi to clear the air, and that was what he did,” Saifuddin told Malaysiakini on the sidelines of a weekly press conference led by opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin to recap issues discussed in Parliament.
Among other things, Muhyiddin, in his letter also sent to other PN component party presidents, cited a purported “consensus” reached during a Jan 16 meeting with Hadi and other PAS leaders at his home, to resolve matters arising from his resignation as PN chairperson.
Muhyiddin had claimed that an agreement had been reached to establish a presidential council led by Bersatu and an executive council led by PAS, and to abolish the position of PN chairperson, which the Islamist party is eyeing.
Hadi, in a purported letter responding to Muhyiddin, claimed that the proposed resolution referred to by the Bersatu leader was neither discussed nor agreed to.
“That led Hadi to clear the air, and that was what he did,” Saifuddin told Malaysiakini on the sidelines of a weekly press conference led by opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin to recap issues discussed in Parliament.
Among other things, Muhyiddin, in his letter also sent to other PN component party presidents, cited a purported “consensus” reached during a Jan 16 meeting with Hadi and other PAS leaders at his home, to resolve matters arising from his resignation as PN chairperson.
Muhyiddin had claimed that an agreement had been reached to establish a presidential council led by Bersatu and an executive council led by PAS, and to abolish the position of PN chairperson, which the Islamist party is eyeing.
Hadi, in a purported letter responding to Muhyiddin, claimed that the proposed resolution referred to by the Bersatu leader was neither discussed nor agreed to.
The meeting of Perikatan Nasional leaders on Jan 16
‘Did he lie?’
Commenting further, Saifuddin said, “To me, it’s perfectly fine for a leader from Party A to say, ‘I think we should do it this way,’ and for a leader from Party B to suggest, ‘Instead, we should do it this way.’ That’s not a secret matter.
“A secret is something like how to win an election - that’s confidential and doesn’t need to be made public. But in this case, what was discussed was not a secret.
“So to me, this is not about leaking secrets. This is about a debate over how PN should be managed - and about how Muhyiddin had misled people. That’s the story here.
“And this adds to the reasons why he should step down,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, Wan Saiful questioned whether Muhyiddin had “lied” in his Jan 27 letter to Hadi and other PN component party presidents.
“The denial by the PAS president is highly significant. It raises the question of whether Muhyiddin has become so desperate that he is willing to fabricate stories to cling to power,” claimed Wan Saiful.
‘Did he lie?’
Commenting further, Saifuddin said, “To me, it’s perfectly fine for a leader from Party A to say, ‘I think we should do it this way,’ and for a leader from Party B to suggest, ‘Instead, we should do it this way.’ That’s not a secret matter.
“A secret is something like how to win an election - that’s confidential and doesn’t need to be made public. But in this case, what was discussed was not a secret.
“So to me, this is not about leaking secrets. This is about a debate over how PN should be managed - and about how Muhyiddin had misled people. That’s the story here.
“And this adds to the reasons why he should step down,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, Wan Saiful questioned whether Muhyiddin had “lied” in his Jan 27 letter to Hadi and other PN component party presidents.
“The denial by the PAS president is highly significant. It raises the question of whether Muhyiddin has become so desperate that he is willing to fabricate stories to cling to power,” claimed Wan Saiful.
Wan Saiful Wan Jan
If Muhyiddin was found to have lied, Wan Saiful said further questions could also be raised about his past statements to Bersatu’s supreme council.
“In such circumstances, if Muhyiddin truly cares about Bersatu, he must save the party’s image by stepping down as president.
“Otherwise, he will continue to be a liability because the public will say that the Bersatu president is a liar,” he said.
‘Action tarnish party’s image’
Separately, Wan Ahmad Fayhsal claimed that Muhyiddin’s action could tarnish PN’s image among the public and damage relations with other PN components, especially PAS.
“As a president, Muhyiddin will certainly not face any action from the disciplinary board over his decisions and actions.
“However, for the sake of the party and its component partners, he must take moral responsibility to restore public confidence in Bersatu and PN.
“Therefore, once again and with a full sense of responsibility, I call on Muhyiddin to step down honourably as Bersatu president for the continuity of Bersatu and PN.
“Muhyiddin must resign immediately,” stressed the former Bersatu Youth chief.
If Muhyiddin was found to have lied, Wan Saiful said further questions could also be raised about his past statements to Bersatu’s supreme council.
“In such circumstances, if Muhyiddin truly cares about Bersatu, he must save the party’s image by stepping down as president.
“Otherwise, he will continue to be a liability because the public will say that the Bersatu president is a liar,” he said.
‘Action tarnish party’s image’
Separately, Wan Ahmad Fayhsal claimed that Muhyiddin’s action could tarnish PN’s image among the public and damage relations with other PN components, especially PAS.
“As a president, Muhyiddin will certainly not face any action from the disciplinary board over his decisions and actions.
“However, for the sake of the party and its component partners, he must take moral responsibility to restore public confidence in Bersatu and PN.
“Therefore, once again and with a full sense of responsibility, I call on Muhyiddin to step down honourably as Bersatu president for the continuity of Bersatu and PN.
“Muhyiddin must resign immediately,” stressed the former Bersatu Youth chief.
Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal
In a Facebook post, Bersatu information chief Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz today confirmed the authenticity of Muhyiddin’s letter and targeted an individual accused of being the first to leak it as early as 11.26am yesterday.
Earlier today, PN deputy secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said Muhyiddin’s “pre-council” meeting tonight, in lieu of the now-cancelled extraordinary supreme council meeting, is “unconstitutional”.
He said that while PN’s constitution included a provision for the creation of a “presidential council”, the body itself was never formed.
The PAS secretary-general also reiterated Hadi's objections as raised in the letter to Muhyiddin.
Earlier today, PN deputy secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said Muhyiddin’s “pre-council” meeting tonight, in lieu of the now-cancelled extraordinary supreme council meeting, is “unconstitutional”.
He said that while PN’s constitution included a provision for the creation of a “presidential council”, the body itself was never formed.
The PAS secretary-general also reiterated Hadi's objections as raised in the letter to Muhyiddin.
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