MANY Bersatu members disagree with the party’s direction with the Perikatan Nasional government, Dr Mahathir Mohamad said last night.

The party founder is spearheading the “Bersatu blackout” campaign to protest against its direction under Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

The disputed Bersatu chairman began a ceramah circuit with the first stop in Alor Star, Kedah, yesterday to explain the toppling of the Pakatan Harapan government in late February.

The “blackout” campaign replaces the party’s original red in its hibiscus flower logo with black as a sign of protest.

Speaking after his speech, Dr Mahathir said the presence of more than 500 Kedah Bersatu members shows that many disagree with Muhyiddin, who withdrew the party from PH in February to form PN with Barisan Nasional, PAS and Gabungan Parti Sarawak.

“We had a meeting tonight because many people are asking what is happening in Malaysian politics, so I tried to tell them the reasons,” said Dr Mahathir, who turned 95 on July 10.

“I find many Bersatu members enthusiastic. As a symbol of their protest, they have changed the red in the party logo to black.

“They are not happy with Muhyiddin and they are eager to support the former Bersatu, not the Bersatu under Muhyiddin.”

Before his sacking from the party last month, Dr Mahathir was the sole candidate for chairman in its upcoming elections. He maintains that he is still the legitimate chairman and that his removal of party membership is illegal.

Disputed deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir opened the event. He too, has been sacked from the party. 

The event was closed to journalists but was on Facebook Live

Several senior leaders and party representatives were also present, including Kubang Pasu MP Amiruddin Hamzah and former youth wing information chief Ulya Aqamah Husamudin.

Amiruddin and other MPs, Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman (Muar) and Dr Maszlee Malik (Simpang Renggam), have also been removed from the party for sitting with the opposition bloc in Parliament.

The Malaysian Insight understands that the Bersatu blackout campaign moves to Perak next.

This is the first time Dr Mahathir has held a talk on current developments in Malaysian politics since the collapse of the 22-month-old PH administration.

Such events are barred under after the movement-control order in place since March 18 to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Dr Mahathir said he is confident the campaign will continue to draw good response from the Bersatu grassroots.

“Wherever we go, there are many grassroots members (who support the campaign). It is the leaders who have been bought over by Muhyiddin Yassin, or are being threatened and pressured,” he said, referring to the prime minister’s move to reward PN lawmakers with positions in government-linked companies and agencies.

The blackout campaign began online about a month ago, with party members supporting Dr Mahathir changing their profile pictures to a blackened party logo.

Dr Mahathir said he and other sacked Bersatu members have been removed from the party’s list of election candidates despite being legitimate candidates. 

“We are still Bersatu members unless the court says our removal is valid. We still consider ourselves members and want to run for office (in the Bersatu elections),” he said.

The high court has set August 7 to decide Muhyiddin’s application and the other three want to quash the summons filed by Dr Mahathir and several others against the removal of their membership. – July 19, 2020.