DR MAHATHIR Mohamad’s post as Bersatu chairman will be determined once the party election concludes on June 30, The Star reports.

Bersatu election committee chairman Syed Hamid Albar was reported as saying the Registrar of Societies’ (RoS) stand on the matter referred to Dr Mahathir’s current position.

“But the election process will determine future positions in the leadership.

“It is up to the party leadership to decide after June 30,” he was quoted as saying.

On Tuesday, the RoS said Dr Mahathir was no longer Bersatu chairman because he had quit the position at the end of February.

In a letter to Bersatu dated May 5, RoS director-general Masyati Abang Ibrahim said party president and Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is now the acting chairman, as provided by its constitution.

“The RoS confirms Dr Mahathir’s resignation as Bersatu chairman. Muhyiddin is now the acting chairman.

“This is in line with the party’s constitution and will be effective until a new chairman is elected,” she said in the letter.

However, Bersatu supreme council member Marzuki Yahya questioned the nature of the letter and stated a meeting on February 24 had rejected Dr Mahathir’s resignation letter by consensus.

Yesterday, Dr Mahathir in a letter to the RoS also disputed the agency’s position.

There are currently two factions in Bersatu where the support is split between Dr Mahathir and Muhyiddin.

In March, Syed Hamid said polls for the party’s central leadership would be postponed according to the directive by the RoS to defer all gatherings until June 30 due to Covid-19.

All 189 divisions were initially expected to vote on April 18 to elect members of the supreme council, including chairman and president.

When nominations for the Bersatu polls closed recently, Dr Mahathir had been returned unopposed as the chairman. – May 21, 2020.