KUALA LUMPUR – Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s reluctance to resign as Bersatu president stems from the belief that no other candidate is qualified to replace him, even though it is evident that the party is losing direction, said analysts.
They said this prompted Bersatu MPs to shift their support due to a lack of confidence in the party’s leadership.
Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research geostrategist and senior fellow Prof Azmi Hassan said the move by six Bersatu MPs to pledge support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s leadership served as a clear signal for Muhyiddin to step down.
Azmi has highlighted that even if Muhyiddin entertains the idea of returning as prime minister if Perikatan Nasional (PN) wins in the next general election, this will merely be wishful thinking. He argues that PN’s strength lies more in PAS compared to Bersatu.
“If six Bersatu MPs are already in support, and now we hear an additional 10, as stated by Bukit Gantang MP (Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal), it is a clear signal that Tan Sri Muhyiddin should step down as soon as possible.
“The party members themselves have lost confidence due to the lack of clear direction from the Bersatu leadership… but Muhyiddin may perceive the changes in support as insignificant, thus not feeling pressured to resign immediately.
“If Muhyiddin harbours thoughts of becoming prime minister again, I believe that strategy is unlikely to materialise because, in my view, Perikatan Nasional’s strength lies in PAS, not Bersatu,” he told Scoop yesterday.
Azmi also stressed that Muhyiddin should promptly resign, considering his involvement in a court case and health issues that hinder his ability to lead the party.
“Perhaps, in his view, no one can replace him, but ‘outsiders’ such as Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin or Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali might be seen as suitable replacements.
“That’s why during the 2022 Bersatu annual general meeting, Muhyiddin announced he would not run and would resign… he was likely testing the support from the supreme council members, who may back him, but the sentiments of the (party) grassroots remain uncertain.
“With a court case and health concerns, Muhyiddin should consider resigning,” he suggested.
On January 26, Bersatu’s Syed Abu Hussin said that another 10 fellow party members would pledge allegiance to Anwar and the unity government.
He did not announce the names of the mentioned MPs. However, he revealed that they were from Kedah, Pulau Pinang and Perak.
Meanwhile, another three are from the east coast states – Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang – and two from Selangor and Melaka, he said.
In addition to Syed Abu Hussin, five Bersatu MPs have publicly stated their support for Anwar. They are Datuk Dr Zulkafperi Hanapi (Tg Karang), Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar), Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan), Zahari Kechik (Jeli) and Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang).
Syed Abu Hussin also revealed that Bersatu did not have financial allocations for its MPs and relied solely on assistance from state governments led by PAS.
With Dr Zulkafperi’s announcement last week, this brings the total number of lawmakers in the Dewan Rakyat backing Anwar to 153.
Universiti Malaya’s Assoc Prof Awang Azman Awang Pawi echoed a similar sentiment, describing Muhyiddin’s reluctance to step down as stemming from a desire to retain his political influence and power.
Anticipating that Bersatu would face internal challenges due to the presence of various factions, Awang Azman believes that Muhyiddin stepping down would be the best move for the party’s well-being.
“I foresee the Bersatu party experiencing long-term challenges as many of their MPs have expressed support for the leadership of Malaysia Madani under Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“Internal divisions are apparent within the party, with factions led by Hamzah Zainudin and Azmin Ali. This poses a significant challenge for Bersatu.
“In my view, Muhyiddin’s refusal to step down as president is driven by a reluctance to lose the power and political influence bestowed upon him,” Awang said.
In March last year, Muhyiddin decided not to resign as Bersatu president, aligning with the wishes of his allies in the party.
Fuelled by the support of his wife, the Pagoh MP vowed to continue leading Bersatu and PN, despite facing six charges of corruption amounting to RM232.5 million and money laundering totalling RM195 million.
In November last year, Muhyiddin made a U-turn in his decision not to defend his post as Bersatu president at the party’s annual general assembly. At first, he said he would make way for new leadership, but a day later changed his mind, saying he would stay on for another term.
Claiming the support of his wife, the Pagoh MP vowed to continue leading Bersatu and PN, despite facing six charges of corruption amounting to RM232.5 million and money laundering totalling RM195 million. – January 28, 2024