A former principal private secretary to Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin says a “chronic illness” is plaguing the party as it is divided over defending decisions made by its leaders.
Marzuki Mohamad said while Bersatu may have more than 90 elected representatives at the federal and state levels, internal disputes threaten to undermine the party’s unity.
“A chronic illness is plaguing Bersatu. If this problem is not addressed, it will spread,” he said in a Facebook post.
“This illness may only affect one or two people now. But if no cure is found, it will spread further.”
The statement comes as Bersatu faces internal discord over its leadership and direction ahead of the 16th general election), with reports of differing opinions among its leaders on strategy and the candidate for prime minister.
At the party’s annual assembly last weekend, Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin faced poison-pen letters, delegates shouting in the hall, and previously quiet dissent coming out into the open.
A commotion erupted late on Saturday night after Muhyiddin said in his address that some had been collecting signatures in a petition calling for him to step down as party president.
A small group of delegates then called for him to step down, while the majority of attendees broke into chants of “Hidup Tan Sri” in his support.
He also commented that the use of a petition was inappropriate but then added that it could be used to try and bring down other leaders too.
A day after the commotion, Bersatu deputy president Hamzah Zainudin pledged loyalty to Muhyiddin.
There was some speculation before the Bersatu general assembly that 122 division chiefs had signed statutory declarations urging Muhyiddin to implement a leadership change before GE16.
