Mahathir just trying to get attention, says Bersatu man

(FMT) – Bersatu information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan has poured cold water over Pejuang chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s claim that certain Bersatu leaders were willing to defect if Mahathir’s party could match their income of up to RM70,000 a month.

Wan Saiful also dismissed as “illogical” Mahathir’s claim that there were plans to offer him money to rejoin Bersatu, the party he first formed. Mahathir formed Pejuang last year after leaving Bersatu.

Stating that such allegations were meant to attract people to Pejuang, Wan Saiful said: “Tun also claimed that some people asked for a remuneration ‘offer’ to leave Bersatu.”

“I have never heard of this and I think stories like these are deliberately made to draw attention to a splinter party that has not been able to attract anyone’s attention.”

Mahathir and other former Bersatu leaders unveiled Pejuang last August, stating that Malay parties had strayed from the original path and prioritised money and power. He said Pejuang would be an independent Malay political party which would fight corruption.

He spoke about the defection offer when interviewed by Mingguan Malaysia. He said certain “brokers” approached him last year after Muhyiddin Yassin, his Bersatu co-founder, formed the Perikatan Nasional government.

Mahathir also predicted that the next general election would not resolve the current political instability as too many parties would contest at the polls – with none of them able to gain a clear victory to form a strong government.

Wan Saiful said this meant Mahathir understood that “small parties” like Pejuang would only add to the divisions in politics, and invited Mahathir to rethink Pejuang’s direction.

“If Pejuang really wants to fight, then fight with a unique agenda,” he said. “No need to keep talking about the old house (Bersatu) until it seems as if you have not been able to move on yet.”

“Why don’t we all focus our energy on helping Tan Sri Muhyiddin take care of the rakyat,” he said.