THE Tangga Batu Bersatu division in Malacca is facing accusations of its leaders manipulating the registration of members in branches ahead of party elections.

Sources say that the “delegates system” of voting for party supreme council members is seeing some in the division’s leadership making moves to ensure that they can control the branches by filling them with supportive members.

This notion sparked furious arguments in the meetings of several branches under the Tangga Batu division in Ayer Keroh last Sunday, sources said.

Chaos and shouting broke out when the meeting discussed the formation of four branches – Bukit Rambai, Pantai Puteri, Bukit Terendak and Krubong – where the names of senior members, those who had been with the party at its formation, were not listed on the membership roll.

Former Tangga Batu deputy division chief Dzulkarnain Saiful Nathan said those omitted included some of Bersatu’s early members when the party was formed in 2016, including the division’s vice-president, Lal Saberi Lal Muhammad, who was not even told about the meeting.

“Saberi’s name is also not in the branch membership, even though he is head of the Krubong voting district.

“He and other early party members feel they have been shoved aside.

“The notice of meeting was not circulated to them, their names are not on the membership roll. It’s not logical,” Dzulkarnain told The Malaysian Insight.

He alleged these moves were by Tangga Batu division chief Mohd Rafiq Naizamohideen, who supposedly wants branches filled purely with members who support him.

Dzulkarnain said Mohd Rafiq is feeling threatened because he has only managed to set up four branches in this division, while Lal Saberi and another leader, deputy division chief Hamidi Harun, have started 11 branches.

“Hamidi and Saberi together have started 11 branches, whose official registrations have been submitted to the Registrar of Societies.”

Bersatu is in the middle of cleaning up its membership roll to ensure members are placed in the correct branches.

This is part of preparations to hold its maiden party polls, which an extraordinary general meeting on July 20 agreed to postpone for up to 18 months through a constitutional amendment.

The polls were originally scheduled for September.

When contacted, Mohd Rafiq declined to comment and said he would issue a statement soon.

Perak Bersatu member Zulfahan Pagon explained that such moves could be made because branches were influential.

According to Zulfahan, they have the power to elect supreme council members through the delegates system.

“The one member, one vote system is only allowed at division and branch level.

“However, only delegates can elect supreme council members, so whoever controls the branches can influence the election of supreme council members.

“This is the game being played by some division chiefs right now,” Zulfahan said.

Penang Bersatu member Ahmad Kamal Abdul Halim, another early mover of the party, said the party’s problems with membership and branches was due to secretary-general Marzuki Yahya’s lack of experience and preoccupation with other duties as deputy foreign affairs minister

“It was caused by the failure of headquarters to manage the party. In Bersatu, a lot of matters have to be referred to Marzuki, but they are not resolved.

“As a new party, the secretary-general should not be bogged down by other duties including cabinet duties. He should be focused on taking care of party matters,” Ahmad Kamal said.

Bersatu deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir has said that the party expects to resolve its administrative issues and be ready to hold elections by June next year. – July 30, 2019.