Malaysia's key opposition party, Bersatu, is facing a serious power struggle that could hurt its hopes in the next general election. Bersatu is a main part of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) alliance, which became the biggest opposition group after the 2022 polls. The crisis began when the party’s disciplinary board summoned Hamzah Zainuddin, Malaysia’s parliamentary opposition leader, to explain claims he tried to undermine the party leadership. The hearing was set for February 12, with threats of suspension or expulsion if he did not attend. Hamzah’s supporters, especially in Johor — Muhyiddin Yassin’s home state — rallied behind him. Fourteen Bersatu division chiefs publicly stated they had lost confidence in Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin, accusing him of poor crisis management and using party rules to hold onto power. Musa Khamis, a division chief, said this turmoil has harmed Bersatu’s public image and worried grassroots members. Analysts see this fight as a battle over who will lead PN into Malaysia’s 16th general election, due by mid-2028. Muhyiddin wants to remain as PN’s prime minister candidate, but some in Bersatu are eyeing a future without him. Asrul Sani, an analyst, said the open disagreements might hurt voters’ trust in PN’s unity, raising doubts about the alliance’s stability in the run-up to the election. In 2022, PN attracted Malay voters by presenting itself as a cleaner Malay-Muslim party than the scandal-hit Umno-led Barisan Nasional. PN won 73 seats, making it the main opposition, while Barisan hit its worst result with only 30 seats. The Islamist party PAS, the largest in PN, secured 49 seats. The instability in Bersatu follows a leadership dispute that led Muhyiddin to quit as PN chairman on January 1. Ronald Kiandee, Bersatu vice-president, called on Muhyiddin to step down, saying the crisis has made the party seem directionless. Analyst Ahmad Mohsein Azman believes Hamzah stands to lose more if the fight worsens but sees the move as Hamzah’s bet to raise his profile as a future leader. Experts warn that a party split would weaken Bersatu and divide Malay voters, with Umno and PAS likely gaining. Another expert, Azmi Hassan, called the fight "a clash between two egos" and noted Bersatu does not have PAS’s strong voter base. The public quarrel threatens PN’s efforts to show a united front at the polls.