Bersatu Youth rejects ROS letter, sees party polls as way out

The Registrar of Society’s letter affirming Dr Mahathir Mohamad has resigned as party chairperson should be rejected, said Bersatu Youth.

It pointed out that the party’s secretary-general had clearly stated in a Feb 25 press release that the Bersatu supreme council unanimously rejected Mahathir’s resignation a day earlier.

In addition, Bersatu Youth said the fact that Hamzah Zainudin is both the Home Minister one of the people claiming to be Bersatu’s secretary-general creates a conflict of interest.

The ROS is under the Home Ministry’s purview.

“Armada recognises Mahathir as the rightful Bersatu chairperson and this is in line with Bersatu supreme council’s decision,” Bersatu Youth said in a statement today.

Amid the infighting, the party wing said the best way forward is to expedite the party election, which has been postponed to due to the movement control order.

“Those who move to oust Mahathir from the party are the ones who want to kill the spirit and the raison d'être of Bersatu.

“The best way out of this episode is to return power to the grassroots to decide the party’s future through a party election.

“The party election should be expedited and held soon to ensure the viability of the party,” they said.

Previously, the ROS said in a letter dated May 5 that it confirms Mahathir had resigned from the party on Feb 24, based on Mahathir’s resignation letter that was supplied to the ROS. 

It said party president Muhyiddin Yassin is the acting chairperson until a new chairperson is elected.

Mahathir has disputed the letter on several grounds, and the ROS said it is looking into the matter.

Mahathir had resigned after the party defied him and took Bersatu out of Pakatan Harapan to form Perikatan Nasional, but a Bersatu delegation led by Muhyiddin had convinced him to remain and announced he would continue as chairperson.

However, relations between Mahathir and Muhyiddin soured both continue to bicker over whether the party should align itself with Harapan or PN, and Muhyiddin later appointed himself as acting chairperson.

The Bersatu chairperson is the most powerful position in the party and even the president must run decisions by the chairperson first.

Muhyiddin had also appointed Hamzah as secretary-general, but Mahathir insists the incumbent Marzuki Yahya is still the secretary-general as Muhyiddin did not have the power to make the appointment.

Mahathir is currently seeking the ROS’ intervention to invalidate Hamzah’s appointment. - Mkini