IT is open season in Bersatu as supporters of Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Muhyiddin Yassin are trading barbs over the former’s “removal”.

“Wan Saiful Wan Jan is only trying to champion the issue by showing off his intellectual prowess and demonstrate his usefulness to Muhyiddin,” said Bersatu youth exco Abu Hafiz Salleh Hudin.

Abu Hafiz was commenting on the Bersatu supreme council member’s comments after membership of Dr Mahathir and four other MPs were terminated.

Shortly after the termination, Wan Saiful called the unceremonious “removals” as “loss of memberships” instead of sackings.

Bersatu had terminated memberships of party chairman Dr Mahathir, former Kedah menteri besar Mukhriz Mahathir, youth chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, supreme council member Maszlee Malik and Amiruddin Hamzah.

The five were informed that their memberships had been terminated by organising secretary Muhammad Suhaimi Yahya for not sitting with the government bench during the Dewan Rakyat sitting on May 18.

Suhaimi had said the five were removed in accordance to articles 10.2.2 and 10.2.3 of the Bersatu constitution that stated members would lose their memberships if they announced they had quit the party or joined another political party.

None of the five have indicated that they intend to quit the party.

Dr Mahathir was due to win the chairman’s post uncontested while Mukhriz was challenging Muhyiddin for the president’s post.

Syed Saddiq was also due to defend his post in the Bersatu elections.

Dr Mahathir’s close aide and lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla said the Suhaimi’s letters were illegal and unconstitutional. 

But Abu Hafiz said Wan Saiful was just being opportunistic at the expense of party protocols.

Prior to yesterday’s removal, Wan Saiful had suggested for those who sat with the opposition during the Dewan Rakyat sitting be sacked.

“Wan Saiful should just go back to PAS,” said Abu Hafiz.

Wan Saiful had been a PAS life member prior to joining Bersatu as a candidate in the last election.

He contested in Pendang but came in third behind PAS’ Awang Hashim and Umno’s Othman Abdul.

He, however, was appointed as Maszlee’s aide before he was made PTPTN CEO. – May 29, 2020.