BN-PAS must name PM candidate before Parliament dissolution

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 8, 2026 – Voters should know who will be nominated as prime minister before Parliament is dissolved if Barisan Nasional (BN) and PAS intend to form the next government after the 16th General Election (GE16), an academic says.

Universiti Utara Malaysia’s Ghazali Shafie Graduate School of Government dean, Prof Dr Rusdi Omar told Astro Awani the coalition does not necessarily need to name its candidate immediately but should do so before Parliament’s term ends in December 2027.

PM candidate

He said BN and PAS should at least announce a formula for selecting a prime minister, such as allowing the party that wins the most seats to nominate its candidate.

“Otherwise, voters are effectively being asked to sign a blank cheque,” he said.

Rusdi noted the Federal Constitution does not require parties to name a prime ministerial candidate before an election. However, he said it has become common practice, citing previous elections where coalitions presented their preferred candidates or “poster boys”.

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Keywords: BN, PAS, Prime Minister, GE16, Politics