THE Bersatu disciplinary board will convene tomorrow to decide what to do with the party members supporting the “Bersatu backout” campaign led by ousted party founder Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The board is likely to punish the members for siding with Dr Mahathir against party president Muhyiddin Yassin, a move that could affect more than half the 404 candidates contesting in upcoming party elections 

Disciplinary board chairman Megat Najmuddin Megat Khas warned the recalcitrant members to be prepared for dismissal.

“We will be discussing this issue this Saturday. Those who are involved in the campaign can be thrown out of the party with immediate effect,” he told The Malaysia Insight.

On July 18, Bersatu supreme council member Dr Muhammad Faiz Na’aman said more than half of the 404 candidates contesting in the party polls were involved in in the Bersatu Blackout campaign.

The campaign is a series of roadshows to protest against the party direction under Muhyiddin, who took Bersatu out of Pakatan Harapan in late February, causing the federal government to collapse, so as to form the new government with Barisan Nasional, PAS, rogue PKR lawmakers and Gabungan Parti Sarawak.

Elections for the party’s divisional posts are going ahead after they were postponed due to the movement-control order.

Newly elected divisional office-bearers will meet on August 22 to decide who will sit on the supreme council and fill the top posts.

Muhyiddin has unofficially retained the party presidency post as there are no other contenders for the post. Perak Menteri Besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu’s deputy president’s post is also going uncontested.

Bersatu is split between Muhyiddin, who led the party into its new alliance, and Dr Mahathir, who is opposed to working with Umno.

Dr Mahathir was the party chair, to which he was returned unopposed in party elections this year, until his membership was revoked in May. He and four other MPS are challenging their sacking in court.

Meanwhile, Megat said the disciplinary board has yet to receive any complaint about the election results in three divisions that have completed voting.

Disputes have arisen over the results of the polls in the Tebrau, Ketereh, and Hulu Langat divisions.

In Tebrau, members said Mazlan Bujang’s election to division chief was invalid amid allegations of fraud. Mazlam is aligned to Dr Mahathir.

In Ketereh, members were asking for a suspension of the election result pending investigations into claims that election rules were breached.

In Hulu Langat, charges of irregularities were made after the winners were announced allegedly while the votes were still being counted.

“Till today, I have not received any complaint,” Megat said.

All allegations brought before the board must be backed by evidence for action to be taken, he added. – August 7, 2020.