BERSATU president Muhyiddin Yassin is in complete control of the party despite there being an open rift between his faction and Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s, said party sources.

They said only a small group of supreme council members are in Dr Mahathir’s camp and support former ally Pakatan Harapan (PH).

The division in the ranks appeared after Muhyiddin took Bersatu out of PH, resulting in the collapse of the ruling pact.

He next forged an alliance with Barisan Nasional, PAS and a faction from PKR led by the party’s former deputy president Azmin Ali, to form a new government, a move that saw him appointed prime minister and which Dr Mahathir called a betrayal.

“Only about 10 leaders support Dr Mahathir while the rest are in Muhiyiddin’s camp.

“Dr Mahathir is also no longer the chairman of the party as he has resigned from that post,” sources told The Malaysian Insight.

According to the party’s website, the party has 28 supreme council leaders.

Party chairman Dr Mahathir resigned on February 24, the same day he resigned as prime minister.

Also on the same day, Muhyiddin announced Bersatu’s exit from PH, also on the same day.

The other party leaders had at first rejected his resignation but appeared to have changed their minds. They said Muhyiddin was now the acting chairman following Dr Mahathir’s resignation.

According to sources, those who continued to support Dr Mahathir were Bersatu secretary-general Marzuki Yahya, who has not been seen at the party headquarters since Muhyiddin took office; deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir; and youth chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.

Muhyiddin is scheduled to hold meetings with the Bersatu leaders in the various states, starting tomorrow, to consolidate his support.

Kuala Selangor division chief Mohd Shaid Rosli confirmed the meetings with The Malaysian Insight.

“The president has invited all state leaders to meet in stages starting tomorrow to clarify the current political situation,” he said.

However, Bukit Mertajam Bersatu chief Fakhruz Zaman Ahmad said he had yet to receive an invitation from the party president to talk.

“To date, there has been no call from the president nor any explanation for the new coalition,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Fakhrur said that while the party leaders had the power to decide on which parties to partner in an alliance, he must insist that the party reject reject ties with corrupt politicians.

“My stance is that we can join the coalition but must firmly reject corrupt politicians who have a record of  misconduct, including those being tried in court.

“The people have rejected corrupt politics and want clean politicians,” he said.

Permatang Pauh Youth chief Izhar Shah Arif Shah said he hoped the prime minister would appoint cabinet members who were not tainted by corruption.

“I have high hopes of the PM to realise his aim of appointing cabinet members  from among individuals who are clean, have integrity and are of calibre,” he said. – March 5, 2020.