BERSATU grassroots members have mixed feelings over the decision to allow non-Malays to join and hold leadership posts.

Party president Muhyiddin Yassin’s announcement on Saturday that Bersatu will review its constitution to admit Malaysians of any race or religion is seen by some as a departure from the party’s original founding goals, which include championing Bumiputera interests.

However, some agree that such a move is necessary for Bersatu’s survival in the next general election.

Former Hulu Langat division chief Rais Zulkifli said many grassroots members have voiced concerns to him that Bersatu will become another PKR, a multiracial party in Pakatan Harapan.

Rais said he agreed with new Bersatu minister Zuraida Kamaruddin, a former PKR leader, who said the party will only be able to contest seats with a mixed electorate if it is a multiracial party.

Of Bersatu’s 31 federal seats, only 12 were won by the party in elections. It gained 15 seats after MPs defected from Umno and another 10 when MPs sacked by PKR joined Bersatu.

It also, however, lost six seats after it sacked six MPs, including its co-founder and chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad, for opposing Muhyiddin.

Rais said Bersatu’s grassroots were caught off-guard with the decision to admit non-Bumiputera members as the party leadership did not explain its rationale to them.

“Members are lashing out right now because it’s still unclear to them what the party structure will look like. Will non-Malay members be admitted to a new wing, like PAS has done?” he said, referring to PAS’ non-Muslim supporters’ wing called the Dewan Himpunan Penyokong PAS.

Rais said the grassroots fear Malays will lose their voice in the party.

Bersatu, an Umno splinter, was founded as a Malay-Muslim party, one that Dr Mahathir believed would be able to take down Umno due to its similar make-up. 

As a new party, Bersatu joined forces with the Pakatan Harapan coalition in the 14th general election in 2018, contesting more than 50 seats but only winning 12.

Muhyiddin had also announced that a special Bersatu committee – led by supreme council member Rais Yatim – will study changes to the constitution.

In late February, Muhyiddin led a takeover of the PH federal government with the help of rogue PKR MPs, Barisan Nasional and Gabungan Parti Sarawak, known as the “Sheraton move”.

Among the non-Muslims who jumped ship to Bersatu are former Segamat MP Edmund Santhara, as well as a handful of state assemblymen.

Bersatu Sipitang deputy division chief Mazlan Manan agreed with Rais that the decision has both a good and bad side.

“There are mixed feelings. There are advantages and disadvantages to the decision,” he said.

Supreme council member Faiz Na’ama, meanwhile, said the decision is meant to give roles to ex-PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali’s non-Muslim followers in Bersatu.

But, he said, it‘s clear from a recent supreme council meeting that Bersatu’s constitution would not be amended to make the party more like PKR.

The proposal is only for an amendment to create a special position or category for non-Muslim members, Faiz said.

“We are not amending the party constitution to allow non-Muslims to hold any party position.

“What we understand is that the amendment will allow representation for non-Muslims within the leadership,” he said.

Bersatu Federal Territory information chief Mohd Shahni Ismail urged grassroots members not to be swayed by racial sentiments.

“They must be open and give opportunities to allied members, if Bersatu is to go further.

“We need to change. This is not going to take our (Malays) rights away,” he said.

This view is shared by other party members, including one who only wanted to known as Haji Azmi.

“A race-based party will not go far.”

A Bersatu youth leader from Kepong, who wanted to be known only as Ajai, said the leadership needed to act swiftly to explain the move to admit non-Muslim members to quell confusion.

“The grassroots will take some time to accept it but we will try our best to ensure they accept the decision.” – August 25, 2020.