Bersatu leader questions ROS’ affirmation of Dr M’s resignation

A Bersatu leader has questioned the Registrar of Society’s letter affirming that Dr Mahathir Mohamad has stepped down as party chairperson and as such, Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin is currently the acting chairperson.

Bersatu supreme council member Abu Bakar Yahya said only the party itself has the right to make such determination.

“The ROS has no right to say Muhyiddin is the rightful Bersatu acting chairperson.

“The one with the right to do so is the party’s disciplinary board, after its decision has been assented by the supreme council,” he told Malaysiakini today.

Moreover, the former political secretary to Mahathir pointed out that Mahathir was declared to have won the chairperson post uncontested on March 16, which was after he tendered his resignation letter.

Meanwhile on Facebook, Abu Bakar laid out the sequence of events.

He pointed out that Mahathir tendered his resignation on February 24, but was accepted back into the fold on February 27 after a delegation led by Muhyiddin on February 25 convinced him to reconsider.

On March 16, nominations for the party election had closed, and Mahathir held his chairperson post uncontested.

For the record, Muhyiddin had declared himself acting chairperson on February 29.

Earlier today, it was reported that the ROS has affirmed that Mahathir had resigned as Bersatu chairperson based on documents supplied by the party, which was Mahathir’s resignation letter on February 24.

It said based on the party constitution, Muhyiddin is the rightful acting chairperson until a successor is elected.

Mahathir had tendered his resignation after the party defied him and took Bersatu out of Pakatan Harapan to form Perikatan Nasional.

Shortly after the resignation, however, Bersatu had convinced him to stay on and announced Mahathir would remain as chairperson.

They then failed to convince Mahathir to go along with the PN plan and Muhyiddin’s faction subsequently disregarded the decision that they had asked him to stay on and rejected his resignation.

As Mahathir mounts a campaign against Muhyiddin, Bersatu is now arguing that the party did not have the power to reject Mahathir's resignation and therefore his resignation stood. - Mkini