KUALA LUMPUR: Sacked Bersatu Supreme Council member Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan has said that while president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s contributions to the party and the nation are undeniable, every leader has an “expiry date” and must know when to step aside.
“We do not deny his contributions and experience. But everyone has an expiry time, a limit to their tenure,” he said to Mingguan Malaysia.
He added that the issue was not about disrespecting Muhyiddin, who is also former prime minister, but about weaknesses in his current leadership.
Wan Saiful, who is also Tasek Gelugor member of parliament, said there was no directive or demand in any statutory declaration to hasten Muhyiddin‘s resignation.
“We said that if Tan Sri wished to retire, that was up to him.
“If possible, it should not even be discussed whether he wanted to retire or not,” he said.
Wan Saiful said the growing sentiment within Bersatu calling for a leadership transition stemmed from concerns over Muhyiddin’s current ability to manage the party.
“Before the Annual General Meeting (AGM), there was no discussion about expediting the leadership change.
“But now, several divisions have voiced that the change should happen,” he said.
He also noted that Muhyiddin had named Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin as his deputy last year, which should have made the line of succession clear.
“When Tan Sri Muhyiddin himself named Hamzah as his deputy, it meant he was aware that should anything happen to him, Hamzah would be his successor,” he said, adding that no one had objected to the decision.
On Oct 14, Bersatu Supreme Leadership Council member Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan and four other party members were sacked from the party.
The Bersatu Disciplinary Board also announced that Machang member of Parliament Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal has been suspended from the party for one term.
Last month, the Tasek Gelugor MP admitted to collecting signatures from 120 Bersatu division chiefs but denied it was meant to topple party president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
Wan Saiful later confirmed that he was being investigated over issues related to the collection of statutory declarations and criticism towards secretary-general Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
