Amid discontent in Bersatu, what's Harapan's game plan?

The brewing discontent within Bersatu appears to have spilt beyond the party, and even former coalition partners in Pakatan Harapan appear to have caught wind.

Johor DAP chief Liew Chin Tong (above) acknowledged that he too had heard complaints from Bersatu friends.

"We understand that many Bersatu leaders and members are very upset with the action of (Bersatu president) Muhyiddin Yassin to pull out from Harapan in order to become prime minister, betraying the people’s mandate and leaving Bersatu in limbo, particularly in Johor.

"Many Bersatu leaders and members are telling us that they disagreed with Muhyiddin’s action," he told Malaysiakini.

Liew said he had told them to make their unhappiness known.

"Whenever they talked to me, I told them they would have to make public that they disagree with Perikatan Nasional and also make public their support for Harapan," he said.

Yesterday, Johor Amanah chief Salahuddin Ayub, who is also the party's deputy president, had also suggested that Bersatu rejoin Harapan, particularly in Johor.

This comes amid complaints that Bersatu was being pressured by Umno in the new PN government.

Umno's Hasni Mohammad replaced Bersatu' Sahruddin Jamal as Johor menteri besar when PN took over the state.

PN only has a two-seat majority in the Johor state assembly. However, some in PKR have disagreed with Salahuddin (photo). 

Asked if Liew shared Salahuddin's views, he had this to say: "If they (Bersatu) openly pledge support for Harapan and cross the floor in Parliament and state assemblies to support Harapan, do we say 'no' to them?

"Do we still say ‘we don’t want you because Muhyiddin betrayed us’? Hypothetically, after they ditch Muhyiddin publicly and cross the floor in Parliament and state assemblies, if we still say no to them, don’t we sound unreasonable?" he added.

Earlier today, Bersatu deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir, who is opposed to Muhyiddin, had also called on the party to return to Harapan's fold.

Bersatu is presently split between Muhyiddin's faction and party chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad's faction.

The Harapan government collapsed in late February after Muhyiddin took Bersatu out of the coalition and joined forces with a group of PKR defectors led by former PKR deputy president, Azmin Ali.

Together with the opposition, they formed the new PN government.

Mahathir had indicated he plans to wrest back control of the party in the next Bersatu election. - Mkini