SEATS allocation, limited candidates and lack of ground machinery are among factors that would work against Bersatu if snap elections were to be called now in Johor, said Umno grassroots.

They said the Bersatu-led Perikatan Nasional will also be hampered by Umno’s reluctance to cooperate.

“We will never campaign for a Bersatu candidate. They only have a few branches in the Labis parliamentary seat, not even 20, but we, Umno, have more than 40 branches.

“If they field a candidate here, the Umno Youth machinery will boycott,” an Umno grassroots member from Labis told The Malaysian Insight.

He did not rule out the possibility of sabotage by Umno if the seat was not allocated to Barisan Nasional or PAS.

“We can accept PAS candidates but Bersatu, I am sorry to say, we will reject. Were its top leaders to campaign here, we will not assist with machinery,” said the Umno individual who did not want his named to be revealed.

Bersatu was officially admitted into Umno-PAS pact, Muafakat Nasional (MN) last month.

Umno, however, did not reciprocate by accepting Bersatu’s invitation to formally join PN. On the other hand, PAS did.

Segamat Umno Youth chief Bastien Onn said Bersatu’s decision to join MN did not sit well with the Umno grassroots, especially those in the youth wing.

He urged the party’s top leadership to explain to the members the reason for cooperation with Bersatu.

“The leadership must listen to the views of the grassroots before making any decisions.

“If they have a different or better view, the leadership should explain it to the grassroots. This is important to prevent the grassroots from resenting thier decision,” Bastien said.

State assembly to be dissolved soon?

Johor has been governed by an Umno-led PN for six months now, after the Pakatan Harapan administration led by Bersatu was ousted.

There is talk of early state elections due to PN’s ultra-slim majority in the Johor legislative assembly, where PN holds 29 seats and PH, 27.

Reports that Bersatu has sacked former Johor menteri besar Osman Sapian, who is the Kempas assemblyman, for campaigning for the opposition in the recent Slim by-election, was dismissed by the party’s disciplinary chief.

Megat Najmuddin Megat Khas confirmed Osman’s name remained on the rolls  when denying a report that the latter had automatically lost his membership by supporting the opposition.

“The report is not correct, what I said was that if he did indeed do those things, action will be taken, but as of now he has denied it so we need to call him (to explain).

“Osman had not been sacked,” Megat Najmuddin told The Malaysian Insight.

Osman has denied switching allegiances and pledged to continue supporting Menteri Besar Hasni Mohamad.

In a recent interview with Sinar Harian, Osman explained that his actions in the Slim by-election were for the sake of restoring Bersatu’s dignity, which he said has been dented by Umno’s belittling.

“Bersatu is being bullied by Umno, including not being given enough positions and being pressured with various accusations. Umno leaders have repeatedly said Bersatu should not be given any seats,” he said.

“Why are we silent? Will no one defend the party? Why has no action been taken against Umno?

“I did (what he did in Slim) so that there is awareness among the leadership and the party members,” Osman had said.

Johor Bersatu information chief Yacob Ata  leads the call for Osman to be referred to the Bersatu disciplinary board.

Bersatu left out

Despite being a partner in the ruling coalition, Johor Bersatu is constantly left out of the state’s community programmes.

Umno and PAS have jointly carried out such programmes. The two parties have also set up committees to coordinate those programmes.

Pulai Bersatu youth chief Che Wan Farid said that now that Bersatu has officially joined MN, the grassroots are waiting for awaiting directives from the top to start organising joint programmes with Umno and PAS.

“We are waiting for instructions from the central leadership, now that Bersatu is part of MN,” he said.

Bersatu’s Permas state rep Che Zakaria Mohd Salleh said Umno and PAS were always invited to the party’s events.

“For now we do our own thing. If they have any programmes and we are invited, we will go. If we are absent, then we are absent,” he said.

Johor Bersatu chairman Mazlan Bujang denied the party was having problems with Umno and PAS.

“The relationship between Umno and Bersatu is normal, there is no problem, there is nothing. If state elections are called now, we have no problem, we are ready,” Mazlan, who is the Puteri Wangsa assemblyman, told The Malaysian Insight.

The next state assembly sitting on September 10 will show if if menteri besar Hasni has the majority for PN to continue governing the state

Osman had previously said that despite his waywardness in Slim, his place in the state assembly was still next to Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin, who is the Gambir assemblyman.

“But if I am fired before September 10, then I will have to sit in the independent section or would I want to launch a new party?.

“If he fires me for supporting an independent candidate, that means he doesn’t like me,” he said, alluding to Muhydddin.

Che Zakaria said that there would be no changes in the state assembly where Bersatu is concerned.

He said the news of the dissolution of the Johor assembly is also just a rumour.

“There will be no changes in the state assembly. The PN government is stable. If there is a dissolution, it is not right,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Che Zakaria was previously sacked from the Southeast Johor Development Authority (Kejora) board over his public protestations at the “unfair” distribution of positions between Bersatu and Umno.

.He was subsequently appointed Kejora chairman. – September 5, 2020.