THE word “bersatu” – meaning unite – in the name of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia is ironic at the moment.
There is disunity in Bersatu. It is a civil war between Bersatu chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the fourth and seventh Prime Minister, and Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the eighth Prime Minister.
What is the root cause of the disunity?
It is the proverbial different schools of thought, according to Datuk Rais Hussin Mohamed Ariff, a Bersatu supreme council member. Both Dr Mahathir and Muhyiddin agree that Bersatu needs to be in the leadership role of the government. But their methods of ensuring that are different.
“While Dr Mahathir agrees only to accept party hoppers from Umno as individuals, Muhyiddin agrees to cooperate with Umno en bloc,” he said.
Wan Mohd Shahrir Wan Abd Jalil, a Bersatu supreme council member, agrees.
“Dr Mahathir wants to work with select individuals in Umno, those he thinks reach his (moral) standard. Muhyiddin thinks that since we are no longer with Pakatan Harapan, we need all the seats so that is why he ends up accepting Umno en bloc.
“But he has discussed with Umno that it can’t impose conditions such as freeing its leaders from corruption cases,” he said.
With the move to oust Tun’s son, Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, as Kedah Mentri Besar, the Tun versus Tan Sri fight has become personal, pointed out Akhramsyah Sanusi, a Bersatu supreme council member. It was inappropriate, he said, for the Prime Minister to get personally involved in the removal of a Mentri Besar from Bersatu, who is set to be replaced by a PAS politician. Dr Mahathir’s detractors would say that he was doing the same with his no-confidence vote in Parliament. But there’s a significant difference in the circumstances, Akhramsyah said.
“The likely PM candidate on the opposition bench remains Tun Mahathir, so at least in the mind of Bersatu members, it is not as if we are sacrificing a party leader for the sake of another party, which we were against in GE14.”
When asked about the relationship between the two Bersatu top leaders, Wan Mohd Shahrir said, “Generally, we, Tan Sri included, love Tun and greatly admire and respect him”.
Muhyiddin has tried many times to reconcile with Dr Mahathir via go betweens, he said, adding, “Tun, however, feels nobody – not only Tan Sri but almost the entire supreme council – respects his wisdom.”
The key to party chairman and president patching up is Mukhriz, the Bersatu deputy president, according to Wan Mohd Shahrir. There’ll be reconciliation if “Mukhriz comes back to the fold with an agenda accepted by almost all supreme council members. And if Mukhriz stops attacking or plotting against Muhyiddin,” he said.
“But that is Mukhriz, how about Mahathir,” I asked him.
He answered, “This will eventually lead to Dr Mahathir reconciling with Muhyiddin. The key is Mukhriz.”
Akhramsyah, however, believes that the price for reconciliation is becoming increasingly steep, especially with the direction Muhyiddin has taken to secure power. He also said that Dr Mahathir has indicated that he would meet Muhyiddin as long as there’s a definite assurance that he wouldn’t work with Umno anymore.
“Whether Tun means the whole of Umno or (those with court cases), I’m unclear. But if he is being consistent, then he meant the latter,” he said.
“Eventually, who will win, Tun or Tan Sri?” I asked the three Bersatu supreme council members.
“Bersatu will be the greatest loser, unfortunately!” said Rais Hussin.
Wan Mohd Shahrir said, technically, Dr Mahathir and Muhyiddin are not fighting each other.
“The real fight is between Mukhriz and Muhyiddin. Mukhriz seems to really want his father back as Prime Minister. It is quite personal,” he said.
The Langkawi MP, he said, has already secured his position as party chairman without a contest. The fight is between Pagoh MP Muhyiddin and Jerlun MP Mukhriz, as they are going for the president’s post in the Bersatu elections.
“Between Muhyiddin and Mukhriz, the majority of the grassroots is satisfied with Tan Sri and accept him as PM. In fact, this is the right move for him to accept the post – Bersatu members want a PM from our party,” he said.
However, some Bersatu members might have a different point of view.
“Bersatu has lost the MB post in Johor, is holding on by a razor-thin thread in Perak and possibly losing Kedah as well. It looks like Bersatu’s loss is Umno’s or Muafakat Nasional’s gain. Meanwhile Perikatan Nasional has yet to be formalised with mixed public statements from Umno leaders. This does not augur well for the longevity of Bersatu,” Rais Hussin said.
Wan Mohd Shahrir also said the winner of the fight between Team Muhyiddin and Team Mahathir is “ultimately those who have power”.
Akhramsyah disagrees.
“Ironically, the numbers are not on Tan Sri’s side. If the numbers are on Tan Sri’s side, then the no-confidence vote would have proceeded. He is the prime minister. He has the power of government. But he is not going to Parliament in triumph and confidence that a vote of no confidence will lead to nowhere,” he said.
Wan Mohd Shahrir doesn’t think Dr Mahathir has the numbers to bring down the Prime Minister via a vote of no-confidence in Parliament.
“Tun himself said that even a vote of no confidence could not bring down Muhyiddin. Why did he torpedo his own effort? Those who support him will run away,” he said.
If a no-confidence vote is tabled in Parliament, we’ll know who the majority of MPs prefer, Tun or Tan Sri.
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