UNLIKE other political parties in Pakatan Harapan, there are no acrimonious factions or leaders sniping at each other in public in Amanah.

In fact, the party is rarely been the source or target of fighting that often breaks out between the ruling coalition’s other members, DAP, PKR and Bersatu.

This has given the progressive, multi-ethnic Islamist party, an image of being the PH’s most stable member.

But chaos and a string of high-profile losses in party elections over the past two months have threatened that image, according to sources and observers.

The defeat of some of its most big-name personalities vying for grassroots-level posts has shocked many and prompted questions as to whether ordinary members are rebelling against party bosses.

The high-profile losses, including an executive council member, state speaker and deputy speaker, federal agency director, have cast doubt on the future of these office-holders.

Added to this is the fact that entire branches and divisions were deregistered and forced to hold re-elections, causing frustrations among ordinary members.

Branch- and division-level elections had to be redone in October and November with drastically different results, according to one Selangor-based official.

The Registrar of Societies (RoS) ordered that the elections and annual general meetings be reconvened because of technical problems.

“Some who in the first round lost in the second round when the elections were held again. This was massively upsetting for everyone in the division,” said the official, who requested anonymity.

What made national headlines was when Zulkefly Mohamad Omar, Aminuddin Zulkapli, Siti Mariah Mahmud, Faiz Fadzil and Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin failed to secure posts at the division level.

Zulkefly is Negri Sembilan speaker while Aminuddin is deputy speaker of the Perak legislature. Siti Mariah is Selangor exco member, Faiz heads the Fisheries Development Board and Nizar is a former Perak menteri besar.

The five are among its most recognisable names and familiar faces during PH’s campaign in the 14th general election.

“The rejection of these leaders is seen as the grassroots expressing their frustration that they have not been as active about building the party’s infrastructure,” said a source close to the Amanah top leadership.

“It’s part of Amanah’s growing pains as the party is trying to strike a balance between expanding its base and carrying out their responsibilities in the government.”

Division of labour   

The party is holding state elections until the end of this month while the national polls are expected in the first week of December.

Amanah’s elections differ from most political parties in that members don’t directly contest for posts.

Delegates choose a committee of 15 office-holders at the division level. The 15 then choose among themselves a division chief, deputy division chief and two vice-chiefs.

This process continues at the state and national levels.

It is learnt Amanah chose this system to cut down on the divisive campaigning that can erupt between personalities, which is common among other political parties.

It is one reason despite the losses of these five big names, none of them or their supporters are openly bitter about it.

Faiz, who lost in his campaign to head the Permatang Pauh division in Penang, said he still had good relations with the office-bearers who won

“The division’s committee felt the grassroots activists were better suited for the job because the division has to oversee the machinery that covers three state constituencies,” said Faiz, who is Permatang Pasir assemblyman.

The convention among most Malaysian political parties is to set up one division per parliamentary seat, with many branches spread out in state seats in that area.

“It is not right to say that there is a grassroots revolt towards big-name personalities but members feel that it is better I focus on my government responsibilities and my area instead of trying to take care of a whole division,” Faiz said.

Party information chief Khalid Samad echoed these sentiments, saying that the party’s grassroots felt that it was better for people like Faiz, Mariah and Zulkefly to concentrate on their institutions and constituencies.

“Because these personalities are so busy with their official duties, they can’t really spend time building up the divisions,” said Khalid, who is Federal Territories minister.

“So grassroots members feel that it is best that there is a separation of labour so that government duties are fulfilled while others shoulder the task of building up the party.” – November 18, 2019.