IT seems that Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s grassroots are feeling edgy over the ongoing political turmoil, leading them to question the intentions of some of their party leaders.
They have voiced their displeasure in social media posts and even on WhatsApp.
While they have pledged to support and celebrate interim prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s return as Bersatu chairman, they also demanded that leaders who had “acted out of bounds” be punished.
This is about Bersatu’s decision on Monday to exit Pakatan Harapan, thus causing the collapse of the federal government.
Talk is rife among members that several Bersatu leaders at the federal level took action without Dr Mahathir’s permission.
Many Bersatu members are demanding a confession — who masterminded its departure from PH and why is Dr Mahathir not the Bersatu’s prime minister candidate?
Such questions began to surface after Dr Mahathir, on Thursday, said he could not accept Umno as the dominant party in the new government.
“Tun does not want Umno. I agree. Umno is filled with political corruption. Don’t deny it. But,
if there are among them who are in the ‘good’ category, (they) should join Bersatu,” said a grassroots member in a Whatsapp message.
Another member, who is a deputy branch chief, was upset with Umno, PKR and DAP, saying that they had forgotten Dr Mahathir’s promise to hand over the premiership to PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“He said he will pass the baton when the country is on the right track. Just like he did when he passed it to (former premier Tun) Abdullah Badawi when the country was stable.”
Just a day before, Sallehuddin Amiruddin announced his resignation as the Selangor Bersatu information chief, citing dissatisfaction with the party’s decision to exit PH.
He said his struggles were in line with Dr Mahathir’s, who had joined PH to topple a “kleptocratic government”, referring to the previous Barisan Nasional administration.
“I cannot accept Bersatu’s decision to exit PH because the party’s dignity and principles are being left behind.
“Party members could not bear being used to fulfil the wishes of certain leaders who had caused Bersatu to be despised by party members and Malaysians.”
Datuk Abdul Rashid Asari, Bersatu’s representative in Selangor’s executive council, recently said he was staying put in the state PH government.
In some Johor divisions, its members began circulating a short message on WhatsApp, calling for Bersatu assemblymen to reject cooperation with Umno and Pas, where the three had already formed a new state government on Thursday.
“The Johor party leadership, together with division chiefs, reject the cooperation with Umno and Pas in Johor.
“We urge Bersatu Johor assemblymen to retract their their support for Umno and Pas,” the message read.
Its state chief, Mazlan Bujang, on Thursday said he was waiting for instructions from Dr Mahathir on the next move.
Mazlan is the only assemblyman who has not stated his stand as he was one of the two who were not present for the interview
with the Johor ruler on Wednesday.
The other assemblyman who missed the meeting was Parti Amanah Negara deputy president Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub, who had said that he would continue to support PH.
The unhappiness was further fuelled when Bersatu supreme council member Datuk A. Kadir Jasin said Dr Mahathir’s resignation as party chairman on Monday was due to “a majority of council members listening to his political secretary more than him”.
“If Kadir has started talking, it’s time we consider this matter carefully.
“We should maintain our stand that Dr Mahathir is to remain as the prime minister,” a Penggerak Awal Pendaftar Keahlian (PAPK) member said.
PAPK consists of those who in the beginning were tasked with securing Bersatu memberships.
“We want to know if the MPT (Bersatu supreme council) is with Dr Mahathir or not.
“Are we allying ourselves with Umno and Pas (in Johor)? Are we going to abandon our struggles to ensure kleptocrats won’t helm the country again?” the PAPK member added.
While Bersatu, Pas and Umno yesterday declared their support for Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as its prime minister candidate, party members were not quick to accept the announcement.
A Johor Bersatu member expressed his disappointment that the grassroots were not consulted over the matter.
“What’s happening? How can lawmakers make the decision? Why is it that we don’t have a say in this?”