BERSATU leaders appear to be at cross purposes after striking different deals over state governments in Kedah and Johor.

Up north, Mukhriz Mahathir struck a deal with former allies in Pakatan Harapan while down south, Bersatu has abandoned the pact and forged a deal with Umno and PAS.

The difference is striking as party president Muhyiddin Yassin heads the southern state while his deputy, Mukhriz, leads the northern one.

“It looks like they have different opinions about leaving Pakatan and working with Umno,” said Ilham Research director Mohd Azlan Zainal.

Bersatu is still reeling from leaving PHon Monday and there seems to be no cohesion between the national and state leadership, Azlan told The Malaysian Insight.

“What we are seeing is different directions at the state level – Malacca, Perak, Kedah and Johor.”

International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM) political science lecturer Dr Tunku Mohar Tunku Mohd Mokhtar said it’s easy to interpret the Kedah-Johor developments as discord between Mukhriz and Muhyiddin.

“Especially so, when Mukhriz is the deputy president. But my first impression is Bersatu is keeping its options open.

“It also means that the political parties don’t have the same sort of iron grip they used to have on the state.

“Local leaders could be trying to separate state politics from federal politics,” said Tunku Mohar.

Johor fell yesterday after Bersatu decided to pair up with Umno and PAS to form a new coalition government.

The decision was announced by the Johor palace after the sultan interviewed 54 out of 56 assemblymen yesterday. According to the palace, Bersatu’s group has 28 assemblymen compared with PH’s 26.

But in Kedah, Mukhriz said Bersatu will maintain the government with PH.

“Pakatan and Bersatu representatives are united in agreeing that the state government should remain as it is,” said Mukhriz.

Mukhriz’s government currently has 19 assemblymen – PKR (7), Bersatu (6), Amanah (4) and DAP (2) – to PAS’s 15 and Barisan Nasional’s (2).

On Monday, Bersatu stunned the nation after pulling out of PH, leading to the federal government’s collapse after its chairman, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, resigned as prime minister. – February 28, 2020.