THE spate of internal feuds in Bersatu is caused by Umno to destabilise the opposition ahead of the 14th general election, the Pakatan Harapan party said. Bersatu officials said that Umno “agents” had infiltrated the party and were causing chaos to prevent the party from contesting in the polls.

“It seems like there is an effort to stop us from contesting in GE14,” said Bersatu information chief Kamarudin Mohd Nor.

“The test is, after GE14, will these people who protest stick around? I believe that their funders won’t give out money after GE14. All of this is happening just before the election.”

He said the recent protest in front of the Registrar of Societies (RoS) was attended by both Bersatu members and those who were not members.

“If they really loved the party, why did they hold a protest just before GE14? Why did they not go through internal party channels?” said Kamarudin.

On Thursday, about 1,000 people who claimed they were Bersatu members held a rally demanding that the RoS act against the party’s leaders.

Among those who attended the protest included former senior Bersatu leaders who said the party’s bosses had violated its own constitution.

He said in the early days, Bersatu did not stringently vet people who joined the party. 

“All sorts of people joined Bersatu including those planted by Umno. Some are active as members while others are not.”

Another official, Akramshah Sanusi, said that 60% of Bersatu members are ex-Umno.

“There are agents who are wolves in sheep’s clothing and there are also some younger members who are easily swayed even by RM50,” said Akramshah, who is a member of the party’s supreme council.

Hundreds of Bersatu members have also left the party and returned to Umno, said Akramshah.

“It’s good that they left, as it allows us to continue Bersatu’s struggles with members who sincerely believe in us.”

Both officials said that the party is drawing up plans to ensure that its GE14 candidates do not become turn coats.

 “We will have to stringently vet them. We will have to somehow bond them to the party,” said Kamaruddin.

Bersatu, which is part of the Pakatan Harapan coalition, will contest 52 out of 165 parliamentary seats in the peninsula.

But in the end, said Akramshah, the only real guarantee that its candidates will not switch sides is for PH to win in a landslide.

 “If there is a Malay tsunami, especially in Umno fortresses, to the point that PH has a convincing majority, it will be difficult to buy over our people.”

Political analyst Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi said such attacks would be normal as the polls approach.

“These attacks on the party by rogue members will end when they leave but new exposes showing weaknesses in the party will come out in the run up to the polls and the campaign period,” he said.

The Universiti Malaya academic said parties from both sides of  the divide should be prepared for such possibilities. – February 24, 2018.