Rift in Bersatu - ROS says to weigh in only if complaint made

Amid a growing rift in Bersatu with two secretaries-general claiming to hold the position, the Registrar of Societies (ROS) today said it would only weigh in on the situation if a complaint is made.

When contacted, ROS director-general Masyati Abang Ibrahim said: "At this point, we can't comment anything because we are only hearing about it (Bersatu's situation) from here and there.

"We will issue a statement when we can," she told Malaysiakini.

Masyati also declined to confirm when quizzed on whether any formal complaints have been made against Bersatu.

"We will keep you informed," she said.

Bersatu is presently split between a majority faction led by Prime Minister and party president Muhyiddin Yassin, and a smaller group who continues to support former premier and Bersatu chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Since Bersatu's disputed decision to quit Pakatan Harapan and join the new Perikatan Nasional government, tensions continued to mount as the party appeared to have two secretaries-general, each aligned to Mahathir and Muhyiddin respectively.

This situation began with the sacking of Marzuki Yahya as secretary-general on March 18 by Muhyiddin, followed by the appointment of Hamzah Zainuddin as his replacement.

Mahathir at the time said Marzuki's sacking was null and void because it did not satisfy party rules.

It was reported yesterday that Bersatu's supreme council had made purported plans to move against Mahathir and party deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir, with a worst-case scenario resulting in their sacking.

Sources said the decision was supposed to be made at a Bersatu supreme council meeting scheduled for today, but a notice was issued to postpone the meeting several hours after news broke about the purported plot against Mahathir and Mukhriz. - Mkini