KUALA LUMPUR – Efforts to break Bersatu have gone up in smoke as the supreme council reaffirmed support for Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to continue to lead the party and opposition bloc Perikatan Nasional (PN), said Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali.
Questions over Muhyiddin’s leadership came after six Bersatu MPs announced their support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his unity government, as well as the public feud that ensued.
Azmin, who is the newly minted Selangor Bersatu chief, claimed that PN and Bersatu were targeted as they posed serious threats to the unity government.
“We are being tested by the ‘enemy’ because Bersatu/PN is the main threat to the PH/Umno government, which is fragile.
“The MPT (supreme council) convened last night (Sunday evening) and reiterated its commitment to continue the struggle for the sake of the people and the country,” Azmin said in a Facebook post last night.
“The council unanimously supports and defends the leadership of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as president of Bersatu and chairman of Perikatan Nasional.”
Yesterday, Bersatu’s state leadership saw a shake-up with Azmin being named the Selangor Bersatu chief, replacing deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu.
Labu assemblyman Mohamad Hanifah Abu Bakar was appointed to lead Bersatu in Negri Sembilan, replacing Datuk Abdul Rashid Asari.
Other appointments were also made, with Datuk Radzi Jidin overseeing the Economic Bureau, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah heading the International Bureau, Datuk Azman Nasrudin in charge of the Education Bureau, Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan managing the Training Bureau, and Fadzillah Mohd Pilus appointed as disciplinary board chairman.
Bersatu secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin also took the opportunity to warn the six MPs of legal action that would possibly compel them to vacate their seats.
He said the leadership agreed to amend Article 10 of the party constitution to prevent incidents of elected representatives shifting their support to certain parties.
In recent months, six MPs switched support to back Anwar instead, citing that they were doing right by their constituents.
The six representatives are Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang), Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang), Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar), Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan) and most recently, Datuk Zulkafperi Hanafi (Tg Karang). – January 30, 2024