Muhyiddin’s party is strangely quiet
Except for statements from Mahathir, nothing much has been heard from PPBM since its inauguration.
(FMT) – For a party struggling to gain influence among seasoned politicians, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) certainly hasn’t shown much dynamism in the weeks since its registration was approved.
It hasn’t even bothered to give clear statements about its political programme for the benefit of would-be supporters.
This is despite the fanfare surrounding the party’s inauguration and the incessant attacks it received from the top echelons of the establishment, led by the Prime Minister’s press secretary.
As a veteran political observer pointed out to FMT, the party’s president, Muhyiddin Yassin, and its other founding leaders have been strangely silent. The exception, of course, is party supremo Mahathir Mohamad, but his statements have been mere extensions of his criticism of the Najib administration.
“There seems to be no machinery on the ground,” said the observer.
He also questioned why several individuals who were actively involved in PPBM’s precursor, the Citizens’ Declaration, seemed to be staying away from the party. Among those individuals is former Batu Kawan Umno vice-chief Khairuddin Abu Hassan, who is seen as a close Mahathir associate.
Khairuddin declined to comment when contacted.
“PPBM is relying on Tun Mahathir’s popularity and cannot stand on its own,” the source said.
He said the situation could be attributed to Muhyiddin’s lack of leadership skills. He criticised Muhyiddin as someone who apparently didn’t believe in team effort, pointing out that PPBM had not even made a clear announcement of its leadership lineup.
Adding to the party’s woes is his alleged involvement in a divorce suit which has since been settled in court. It is a focus of his detractors in Umno.
There are other complications associated with Muhyiddin, which the source said threatened PPBM’s long term survival.
“Not only does Muhyiddin come with a lot of baggage, it’s clear that he is not too comfortable with the DAP.”
He said many members of the public did not believe that Muhyiddin was a changed man and that a PPBM led by him seemed too much like a “photocopy” of Umno.
It certainly won’t be easy for Muhyiddin to deal with long-time foes in the opposition, particularly the DAP. The source said this was why it was doubtful that PPBM under his leadership would be able to strike any kind of deal with Pakatan Harapan for the coming general election.