YESTERDAY, based on this video, a press conference was held by several branches in Pulai, led by Hamiruddin Hamzah, head of the Bersatu Pengkalan Rinting branch, on joining a new party led by Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Their move can be considered as the first step to dissolve Pulai Bersatu after members from the Bukit Kempas, Bukit Mewah, Cempaka and Pengkalan Rinting branches announced their leaving Bersatu Pulai.

Based on the division’s leadership, Osman Sapian chickened out this year when he moved and became the chief of Ayer Hitam division. I suggest that Osman better to contest either in Yong Peng or Sekarang under the Ayer Hitam constituency rather than Kempas. 

Voters prefer an elected representative who lives and is associated with the local area so that he or she understands the demographics and issues.

Meanwhile, based on the grassroots, there are only 12 branches from total of 16 branches left in Bersatu Pulai. 

If this pattern continues, may be within a month, it is likely the number of branches will decrease rapidly. With a bunch of branches left cease to exist, it would be better for Bersatu Pulai to dissolve itself.

Umno members don’t have to worry about the next election if this situation happens, because in the next GE, it will be two-cornered fight, especially in the Kempas constituency. 

If Bersatu wants to take part in elections, it needs the strength of grassroots for machinery purposes.

However, this does not mean that Umno can take this lightly and Umno Pulai should continue working hard on the welfare of the people of Pulai constituency, especially in Kempas and Perling areas.

Umno Pulai need to remind the Malay voters that the existence of the new “Malay-based party” is merely for Mukhriz Mahathir to succeed the throne and putting an individual above the people. 

The party led by Dr Mahathir will damage the political advancement of the Malays and the principle of this new party is repetitive to Umno and Bersatu. We don’t need a new ethnic-based party with a same philosophy, we already had a few in Malaysia.

Umno as a component party of Barisan Nasional must convince the people, especially in the Pulai constituency that BN Pulai is able to provide better services and highlight social welfare issues compared with the opposition.

I hope this article will help the public keep track and understand the current political climate in Malaysia. – August 17, 2020.

* Muhammad Shaqib Shahrilnizam is information chief, Pulai Umno Youth.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.