Reversal of fortunes: Bersatu's rise to power

Just two years ago, Bersatu members who left their former party Umno, were struggling to find their footing.

They faced a stark new reality as part of the opposition. The then ruling party Umno had a penchant of pressuring Bersatu more than others opposition parties, as they were viewed as traitors.

"They (Umno) had no issues with Amanah, PKR or DAP. It was Bersatu that was getting whacked," said Bersatu Youth exco Zainal Abidin Sihab.

After joining Bersatu, Zainal (photo), who was involved as a part-time event organiser, faced hurdles from the local government and police authorities as they would reject his application for permits. 

He also lost eight full-time jobs as a consequence of employers facing pressure from BN government for contracts.

But the attitude had since changed after Pakatan Harapan took power.

"Now they say 'Okay, Tuan!" Zainal told Malaysiakini after a futsal event in Simpang Renggam, where he was part of the organising committee.

In the east coast, the situation had also improved for Terengganu Bersatu chief Razali Idris, who had been peddling goods in a bid to raise funds for the party before the 14th general election.

While state chiefs were considered bigwigs in Umno, Razali was spotted selling golden woven Malay sampin emblazoned with Bersatu's logo for RM500 each to raise funds during the party's anniversary celebration in Muar last year.

Funds come more easily now, he said, as contributors no longer fear retribution for donating to Bersatu's cause.

Riding on government events

However, Razali (photo) said it did not mean Bersatu was flush in cash and that the party still needed to "ride" on government events.

"We can ride on the government machinery but we don't need to carry party flags... The public knows Harapan is in power so we don't need to emphasise Bersatu's name.

"If we use Bersatu's name, we have to fork out the money but we don't have much money as we can only rely on fundraising," said Razali, who was appointed as senator.

He contested at the Hulu Terengganu parliamentary constituency but was defeated as PAS swept the seats in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

Razali added that the PAS-led Terengganu government, unlike Umno, has taken a softer stance even though Bersatu is the opposition in the state.

"The previous menteri besar (from Umno) took a hardline position, he discriminated the opposition and did not allow us to rent public halls. All our banners would be pulled down.

"The new state government is more open and we can get approval for our banners from the local government without any fuss," he said.

Razali added that previously, Terengganu Bersatu had to use a former Umno member's home as headquarters but the party finally has a proper office in Kuala Terengganu.

“The rental is RM3,000 and we have two to three staff. The monthly overhead is RM7,000," he said.

Return of the purged

Meanwhile, in Pagoh, the home base of Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin, his loyalists who were purged are now returning to their positions in the Bersatu-led Johor government. 

One such person is Bersatu Pagoh division secretary Atiman Kadar, who had resigned as a Muar local councillor last year before being sacked by Umno.

"I was getting the pressure from the BN government so I resigned. I was in the opposition, it was better for me to quit.

"But now that Harapan won and the Johor menteri besar is from Bersatu, our access to government agencies has improved gradually," he said.

Atiman (photo), who has returned as a Muar local councillor, said the agency chiefs now have to comply with the government of the day.

Another Muhyiddin loyalist who had resigned as Umno branch chief when his boss was sacked from Umno is now the Tenang assemblyperson.

Mohd Solihan Badri, who was previously under Pagoh Umno, said he had expended substantial funds out of his own pocket to set up Bersatu in the neighbouring parliamentary constituency of Ledang.

"I still have to use some of my money after Harapan took over but thankfully I now have allowances as an assemblyperson. So that is a relief," he said.

When Muhyiddin was sacked as Umno deputy president and subsequently from the party in 2016, Bersatu already had some 1,000 members in Pagoh. This grew to 3,000 shortly before the 14th general election.

It was less than 10 percent of the 23,000 members Umno professed it had in Pagoh.

In the seven months since Harapan came to power, Pagoh Bersatu gained another 1,000 members.

According to Bersatu secretary-general Marzuki Yahya, the party had 200,000 members before GE14 and is now receiving “thousands of application” on a daily basis.

Some of these members will be descending on the Bersatu annual general assembly this weekend, its second ever, and first as a ruling party.

In a symbolic move, Bersatu's annual general assembly will take place in Putrajaya, the country's administrative capital. - Mkini