Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang claimed that a US Embassy representative once asked him which candidate PAS would nominate for prime minister. Speaking at the 72nd PAS muktamar, the party president recounted that the diplomatic exchange occurred during Barack Obama’s visits to Malaysia when PAS was part of the Pakatan Rakyat coalition, which lasted from April 2008 to June 2015.
The Diplomatic Inquiry at the US Embassy
The revelation surfaced during the winding-up speech at the 72nd PAS muktamar held at the Pusat Tarbiah Islamiah Kelantan (PUTIK) in Pengkalan Chepa, where the party president detailed past interactions with American diplomatic staff. According to the account, the initial outreach involved high-ranking party figures invited to an event at the US Embassy during one of former US President Barack Obama’s visits to Malaysia.
Those invitations reached Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan and Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, who served as his political secretary at the time and is now the menteri besar of Terengganu. The events in question took place while PAS still belonged to the Pakatan Rakyat coalition, overlapping with Obama’s presidential visits to Malaysia in April 2014 and November 2015.
In his speech, Abdul Hadi claimed that the US representatives were willing to help take over and bring down the government while Najib Razak was serving as prime minister. Both Obama visits and the events surrounding them took place during Najib’s tenure as prime minister, prior to Najib beginning a prison sentence in August 2022 after the Federal Court maintained his conviction on seven charges involving abuse of power, criminal breach of trust, and money laundering tied to RM42 million in SRC International funds.
Counter-Questions and the Response to Najib’s Government
Following those initial embassy functions, the diplomatic mission requested a direct meeting with the PAS leadership. Abdul Hadi fulfilled the invitation and attended the subsequent gathering accompanied by former party secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali.
Recounting the exchange to delegates, Abdul Hadi described turning the tables on the American diplomat when pressed about leadership succession plans during the tenure of then-Prime Minister Najib Razak. The ambassador asked who PAS proposed as prime minister, prompting Abdul Hadi to respond: Who does America agree with? Who does America support? According to Hadi, the question left the representative dumbfounded.
The account highlights how party leaders handled external overtures during a volatile period in national politics. When Abdul Hadi later related the meeting to former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, he reported that Dr Mahathir called the response a good one, drawing laughter from the floor during the muktamar.
In 2015, Hadi had previously urged Dr Mahathir to halt efforts to bring down Najib, stating during an interview with Channel News Asia that any change of prime minister must happen through a democratic voting process and that Najib should be allowed to finish his term because he was democratically chosen.
Internal Steadfastness and Principles of Non-Interference
Party leaders maintained that despite any discussions regarding political changes and the willingness of the US to help toppling the Barisan Nasional government, the core delegation refused to sway from internal party alignment. Takiyuddin and Samsuri reportedly rejected any notion of external maneuvering, remaining steadfast and completely uninfluenced by the offer.
Speaking to reporters during a press conference after the muktamar concluded, Takiyuddin confirmed that embassy representatives had indeed asked whether PAS was planning to bring down the ruling Barisan Nasional government at that time. Takiyuddin stated that they did not give any decision and did not expect interference from foreign countries, emphasizing that national politics belongs to the country and external parties cannot interfere. He added that if other parties chose to rely on foreign intervention to bring down the government, that was their choice, but PAS did not.
Moving Past Speculation on Future Leadership
Addressing the persistent political focus on future candidates for the nation’s top office, Abdul Hadi questioned why everyone was so busy asking who would become prime minister, noting that a candidate will be decided when the time arrives. He stressed that the important work involves making sure they complete their tasks, resolve divisions, resolve crises, and then return to carrying out their respective duties.
As party members concluded their annual gathering in Kelantan on Saturday, leadership pivoted away from past diplomatic encounters to focus on internal administration and upcoming institutional responsibilities, while news organizations like Malaysiakini noted they were actively seeking independent verification and further responses from the US Embassy and Dr Mahathir regarding the historical claims.
