Kota Tinggi Bersatu division collapses, more Johor defections expected

The Kota Tinggi Bersatu division has collapsed after 15 committee members including division chief Baser Senin quit the party, together with eight out of 13 branches in the division.

Malaysiakini has been told that more defections in Johor are coming, despite state party leaders assuring that Johor Bersatu remained firmly intact and in support of party president Muhyiddin Yassin.

In a statement issued this morning, Kota Tinggi Bersatu said the decision to quit was made at a meeting last night after losing confidence in Muhyiddin and the party leadership.

"This decision was made because the current leadership has betrayed the people's mandate," Baser said.

The defectors pledged support for Dr Mahathir Mohamad, and did not rule out the possibility they might join the former prime minister's new party.

Mahathir is planning to set up a new Malay-based party to fight against Bersatu, Umno, and PAS. The party does not yet have a name, and will not be aligned to either Pakatan Harapan or Perikatan Nasional (PN).

Meanwhile, up north in Penang, Bayan Baru Bersatu Youth similarly announced that 14 of its committee members were quitting the party, including its chairperson, chief, assistant secretary and assistant treasurer. 

“We forbid the use of our names for any Bersatu activities, programmes and meetings with immediate effect,” they said in a statement.

This followed the wave of defections seen last week, by party divisions, assemblypersons and also supreme council members. 

Johor exodus to continue

Meanwhile, a source told Malaysiakini that more defections from Johor Bersatu are expected although details are scant at the moment.

Sri Gading MP Shahruddin Salleh, a former Muhyiddin strongman, believed that up to 70 percent of Johor Bersatu grassroots members would be defecting.

A senior Johor Bersatu assemblyperson previously told Malaysiakini that interest among the party's grassroots to join Mahathir's party was "quite evident".

Previously, during the height of the "Sheraton Move" crisis, 19 out of 26 Johor Bersatu divisions had declared their support for Mahathir after Muhyiddin had reportedly greenlit a coup in the state.

It is not clear if these allegiances remain the same as the Mahathir camp's state leader then, Johor Bersatu chief Mazlan Bujang, is now part of the PN state government.

Mazlan and the other Bersatu assemblypersons have publicly dismissed any possibility that they themselves would defect, or that there would be a revolt in the party's Johor chapter.

Malaysiakini understands that the Sedili Bersatu branch in Kota Tinggi has not joined the defectors. Sedili assemblyperson Rasman Ithnain also said he was staying put with the party. - Mkini