SHAH ALAM, Nov 29 — At his first Parti Pribumi Bersatu assembly as Armada chief, Hilman Idham affirmed his wing’s unwavering support for president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to lead the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition.

In his fiery policy speech, Hilman emphasised that Muhyiddin is the number one leader in PN and will continue to lead the coalition back to Putrajaya.

"Tan Sri is the supreme commander of Bersatu and Perikatan Nasional. To the entire Bersatu Armada of Malaysia, are we all ready?

"Tan Sri is the commander, and Armada is his army,” he said, which drew roars of support from the youth delegates.

Hilman said PN, led by Muhyiddin, had been the largest single political coalition in the previous general election; this was still below the 112 seats needed to win outright.

He then cited Muhyiddin’s tenure as the prime minister during the Covid-19 pandemic, saying that the latter saved Malaysians from a global crisis in that period.

"The leadership of Muhyiddin has proven successful in safeguarding the people and the nation. He successfully led Malaysia through a global crisis during the critical moments of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"His wisdom and people-centric policies consistently prioritized the welfare of the people through various economic aid initiatives, social protection measures, and the implementation of a widespread vaccination program,” he said.

Hilman's insistence on Muhyiddin as PN’s prime minister candidate for GE16 come amid disagreement from PAS, whose spiritual leader Datuk Hashim Jasin said the Islamist party must now lead.

Hilman added today that the party will not allow others, whether a political entity or an individual, to hold Bersatu to ransom.

"While acknowledging that there are times when differing views and approaches arise, it does not mean we should undermine the strength we have built through the grand consensus of PN.

"PN is in the most strategic position within the nation’s political landscape. At any time, we can realign or make adjustments in our political consensus to form a formidable coalition in Putrajaya,” he said