Expect hundreds of Bersatu grassroots members to join PKR, says source
The source says the Malay-based party’s members feel they will be unable to advance their political careers if they stay put.
(FMT) – Hundreds of Bersatu grassroots members are purportedly joining PKR for a variety of reasons, including the inability to advance their political careers in the Malay-based party, a PKR source says.
The source, who asked to remain anonymous, said the Bersatu members also wanted to help certain allies in PKR boost their campaigns in the PKR elections, expected to be held at the end of this year or in early 2025.
The source said a number of grassroots members from Bersatu had recently joined, or were in the process of joining, the party led by Anwar Ibrahim.
“But now they feel they have limited room for growth, unless they are allied with a certain Bersatu leader.”
He said those leaving included Bersatu division leaders, with the number expected to increase “towards the end of Ramadan”.
Ex-Bersatu members who recently joined PKR include former Supreme Council member Faiz Na’aman and former Dengkil assemblyman Adhif Syan Abdullah.
In a Facebook post on Sunday, Faiz said both he and Adhif had been accepted as PKR members.
Speaking to FMT, the source said some eyeing posts in the PKR elections had already begun gathering support from grassroots members in PKR as well as Bersatu.
“The Bersatu members will either join PKR directly or start by joining PKR-friendly NGOs and then make their moves from there,” he said.
The chairman of one such NGO, Aidi Amin Yazid, said a few Bersatu members had recently joined his group, Pertubuhan Jaringan Insan Madani.
He said some Bersatu members had also reached out to him for advice on their political journeys.
“I always advise them to remain true to their purpose, and given how my own fate unfolded in the recent state election, I stress the importance of patience,” he said.
Aidi was originally named as Pakatan Harapan’s candidate for the Kota Damansara seat at the Selangor polls last August. However, he was replaced at the 11th hour with Izuan Ahmad Kasim.
Izuan went on to defend the seat with a 5,694-vote majority over Perikatan Nasional’s Radzlan Jalaludin.
