FORMER PKR members have accused some Bersatu members of trying to obstruct their entry into the party against the wishes of party president Muhyiddin Yassin, who had promised in August to speed up their admission process.

It is our former PKR colleagues now in Bersatu who are most unfriendly to us, said one of the group seeking party membership.

Some are more welcoming as they appreciate that the new members would add strength to the party but others are threatened by the newcomers, he said.

“Maybe they are afraid (to lose their positions).”

He said issue should not arise as the former PKR members could only boost Bersatu.

“We are here to strengthen Bersatu for the survival of Muhyiddin,” another former PKR member said.

He reminded the other former PKR members to be cooperative after they are admitted into Bersatu.

“Former PKR members themselves need to be more respectful and learn to co-exist with their new colleagues,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

An ex-PKR member in Kedah accused a Bersatu faction of deliberately delaying applications to prevent them from taking control of certain party divisions.

He pointed at members of Penggerak Komuniti Negara, which was founded by Mohamed Azmin Ali’s clique.

“They fear an influx of ex-PKR members. They are worried they may be kicked out.”

‘Integration takes time’

The former PKR members already ensconced in Bersatu are Azmin and 10 others who joined the party on August 22.

Azmin has a place on the party’s supreme council as well as in Muhyiddin’s cabinet.

Other ex-PKR MPs in Bersatu are Zuraida Kamaruddin, Saifuddin Abdullah (Indera Mahkota), Kamaruddin Jaffar (Bandar Tun Razak), Mansor Othman (Nibong Tebal), Rashid Hasnon (Batu Pahat), Ali Biju (Saratok) and Willie Mongin (Puncak Borneo) and Santhara Kumar (Segamat).

Another former PKR member in Kuala Lumpur agreed former PKR members in Bersatu are slowing down the admission process for the new members.

“The decision to join a political party en bloc must begin with discussions to ensure that harmony can be maintained,” he said.

Party vice-president Mohd Rashid Asari said Bersatu has no problems taking in more former PKR members.

“Azmin has only joined Bersatu for two months. The integration process takes time. They have to be Bersatu members first. The number of former Selangor PKR members joining up is quite large, so of course their registration takes time,” said Rashid.

Selangor prize

The Bersatu Selangor chairman said the new batch of former PKR members will be given suitable posts after they are registered on the membership roll.

“Now we cannot appoint them because we have not registered them as Bersatu members. Once we know which division they are in, we will add more positions in the division (for the new members).

“We can appoint additional committees,” Rashid said.

For instance, he said former PKR deputy youth chief Hilman Idham is now the Gombak Bersatu youth leader.

As the opposition in Selangor, Bersatu members need to work together to recapture the state, he said.

“We plan to win Selangor but can’t do it if we quarrel.

“The Selangor Bersatu leadership has quite a good relationship with Azmin and Zuraida,” he said, adding the two sides regularly meet to boost ties. – November 16, 2020.