KUALA LUMPUR: Pas Youth has questioned the actions of Perikatan Nasional (PN) component party leaders, describing them as 'hasty' for proposing a prime ministerial candidate so early.
Its information chief Khairul Nadzir Helmi Azhar said the matter should not have been publicly announced yet as it had not been discussed among the leadership of all parties within the bloc.
He also came to the defence of Pas spiritual leader Datuk Hashim Jasin, who came under fire for saying that the Islamist party was more qualified to lead PN.
"The Pas spiritual leader was expressing what he felt and that was his view. So why should he be told to stay silent?
"If you want him to stay silent, then no PN leader, especially from Gerakan, should talk about who the prime minister candidate is, especially when it hasn't been discussed at any level for the 16th General Election.
"As such, I am making the same call for silence to those who might have been too hasty in announcing something that hasn't been discussed yet," he said in a statement on Facebook.
Previously, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) vice-president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu in a statement had endorsed party president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as PN's sole prime ministerial candidate in the next elections.
However, Hashim in a statement, said Pas was more qualified to lead PN and rejected the suggestion for Muhyiddin to remain as the prime minister candidate representing the coalition.
Hashim, who is also former Pas Perlis commissioner, had also said the party was more suited to lead as they had the most members of Parliament, apart from having strong machinery throughout the country.
Yesterday, Gerakan president Datuk Dominic Lau also reiterated the stance that Muhyiddin, who is also PN chairman, was the most qualified leader to be the coalition's "poster boy", based on his experience.
Khairul meanwhile emphasised that any decision must only be made after careful consideration and discussions, and said there was a need to take into account the ideas and perspectives of younger leaders, women, and technocrats.
"We do not deny the contributions and excellence of Muhyiddin and his cabinet during the times of political, economical and health crises, but the changing times, full of challenges, may require a different formula.
"This is the approach and identity of PN," he added.