BERSATU grassroots members are hoping that its key founders, Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Muhyiddin Yassin, can patch up their differences, despite the fact that the former has been allegedly sacked from the party.

Others, however, are urging the party to make a clean break from Dr Mahathir’s faction, whose five MPs were expelled on May 29 for siding with opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan in the Dewan Rakyat.

One member proposed that the party hold an extraordinary general assembly to resolve the current crisis, which has seen the Malay party divided into two camps, each with rival claims of legitimacy.

One faction, with the largest number of lawmakers, is loyal to Muhyiddin, the party president and current prime minister of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government.

The other faction is led by Dr Mahathir, the former prime minister who claims he is still Bersatu chairman and who wants to bring back the party into PH’s fold.

PH was ousted in late February when Muhyiddin’s faction left the coalition and teamed up with Umno, PAS, Sabah and Sarawak parties and 10 renegade PKR lawmakers to form PN.

Both factions are headed for a showdown in the party’s first elections, which are expected to be held after June 30.

“Dr Mahathir and Muhyiddin are like fathers to us while Mukhriz (Mahathir) is our senior leader,” said Muzammil Ismail, an exco in the party’s youth wing.

“Me and the grassroots are begging you, ignore what everyone else says. Put aside your egos to resolve our affairs,” said Muzammil, who is contesting for the top post in Bersatu youth.

“We are all tired of the infighting and wish our leaders could share power. We should be focused on strengthening the current government to serve the people.”

Bersatu youth’s current head, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, is part of Dr Mahathir’s faction.

Syed Saddiq, who is also Muar MP, along with Dr Mahathir, who represents Langkawi, Mukhriz (Jerlun), Maszlee Malik (Simpang Renggam) and Amiruddin Hamzah (Kubang Pasu) were expelled for sitting with the opposition during the May 18 Parliament sitting.

The instruction, which was conveyed by Bersatu executive secretary Muhammad Suhaimi Yahya, has been rejected as unconstitutional by Dr Mahathir’s faction, who on Friday said they remain party members.

Dr Mahathir even claims that he will sack Muhyiddin as president “through the proper channels”.

Sekijang division chief Uzair Ismail also rejected the move to expel Dr Mahathir, adding that he wanted the latter to mend ties with Muhyiddin.

“We at the grassroots want Muhyiddin and Dr Mahathir to get back together again and lead the country. We need Dr Mahathir as chairman and Muhyiddin as president again, just like when we were first established.”

Party supreme council member Faiz Na’Aman, however, said Bersatu cannot return to PH and those who wish for it must be purged from the party.

“Bersatu is in the process of cleansing, rehabilitating and reuniting its members. The party is still solid and those who violated its rules must be expelled,” Faiz said in response to the five MPs.

He is confident that the party’s future remains bright with PN, which is building a Malay-Muslim government.

“Bersatu has saved itself after it left PH to form PN. Bersatu will strive to register PN as a formal coalition in the name of Malay-Muslim political stability.”

Penang Bersatu youth chief Muhammad Shameer Mohamed Sulaiman said a possible way out of the current crisis – where both sides claim they represent the official party – is to hold an EGM.

Shameer said this is because the five MPs who were expelled have claimed that they did not leave Bersatu to join any other party – which was the basis for their removal.

“The grassroots demand that this crisis be resolved immediately either by calling for a supreme council meeting or an extraordinary AGM so that the grassroots can voice out where they want the party to go,” Shameer said. – June 1, 2020.