Bersatu grassroots fear ex-CM may taint the party

Bersatu grassroots leaders have expressed concern that controversial Umno leaders who are seeking to join Bersatu could taint the party.

Klang Umno Youth chief Muhammad Faiz Ma'aman said such figures are not viewed favourably by the younger generation.

"I'll be frank. The response from netizens and young people in the party towards the entry of controversial Umno veterans such as Rahim Thamby Chik (above) is quite negative.

"They do not see such figures as adding value to the party's image," he told Malaysiakini when contacted.

However, he said the Bersatu supreme council already had a blacklist of Umno leaders that the party will not accept due to previous involvement in corruption and the like.

Yesterday, Rahim, who is the former Malacca chief minister, announced he was quitting Umno and said he had submitted his application to join Bersatu.

Rahim was part of a group who had previously screened a sex video which he claimed fearured PKR president Anwar Ibrahim. Anwar has denied the contents of the video.

Rahim in 1994 was also accused of statutory rape. Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng, who was then the Kota Melaka MP, was jailed under the Sedition Act 1948 and the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 for questioning alleged government inaction over the case.

The DAP later dropped the rape claim after Rahim's accuser retracted her allegation. Rahim was never charged.

Meanwhile, Klang Bersatu information chief Muhammad Azrai Rizal Ajilan said Rahim would be better off retiring from politics.

"We at the grassroots are confident that the Bersatu leadership will act justly and wisely on this matter," he said.

Kemaman Bersatu Youth chief Ahmad Luqman Dalizan said on a personal level, he, too, would disagree if Bersatu accepted Rahim into the party.

"But I will abide by the decision of the leadership which is more qualified and experienced to make a decision," he said.

Meanwhile, Perak Bersatu Youth chief Hafiz Mubin Mohd Salleh said the party must also consider the feedback of its Harapan partners.

"We have to admit that our success in the 14th general election was due to the spirit of cooperation between the four Harapan component parties and this spirit must be maintained," he said.

Bersatu Pahang chief Wan Mohd Shahrir Wan Abdul Jalil also echoed a similar sentiment stating that Bersatu should consider the sensitivities of its partners.

"Bersatu has set stringent conditions. We understand that Rahim's past will affect the party's image," he said.

Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin (above) had today addressed such concerns, pointing out that any application to join Bersatu would not be automatically accepted.

He also announced the formation of a committee led by Bersatu deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir to vet applicants into the party with the cooperation of MACC and the police. - Mkini