Melaka Bersatu’s issues rooted in national leadership crisis, say analysts

They say the trust issues with the top leadership following Muhyiddin Yassin’s ‘formula’ for the party polls have now impacted the grassroots.

(FMT) – The leadership crisis within Bersatu at the national level has now spread to the grassroots levels as seen in the trouble brewing in the party’s Melaka chapter, say analysts.

Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara said the problem could be traced to July when Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin’s “formula” for the party elections was revealed.

Under this formula, Muhyiddin would remain at the helm of the party while the current secretary-general, Hamzah Zainudin, would take over the deputy’s post from Ahmad Faizal Azumu.

Selangor opposition leader Azmin Ali would replace Hamzah as secretary-general while Faizal, Radzi Jidin and Ronald Kiandee would defend their vice-president’s posts unopposed.

Azmi said that with this formula in place, Bersatu’s grassroots were not given any chance to determine who they wanted to pick for the top five posts.

He said the emergence of three other contenders for the vice-president’s posts – Selangor Bersatu deputy chief Rafiq Abdullah, Bersatu information chief Razali Idris and Batu Kawan Bersatu chief Aziss Zainal Abiddin – showed that Muhyiddin had lost some respect in terms of his leadership.

“In other words, Muhyiddin’s plan that was intended to placate existing Bersatu leaders has now backfired and could be the loose thread that will unravel the party,” Azmi told FMT.

In July, several Bersatu Supreme Council members and division leaders were reported to be uneasy over the formula, claiming it was meant to protect “certain individuals”.

FMT reported on Monday that Melaka Bersatu chief Dr Yadzil Yaakub was facing calls to relinquish his post and allow Masjid Tanah MP Mas Ermieyati Samsudin to replace him after the Jasin division he leads was suspended last week.

A Melaka Bersatu grassroots leader said the suspension exemplified Yadzil’s weakness as a leader and failure to manage his own division. Yadzil, however, remained unfazed.

Yadzil, who is the Bemban assemblyman and Melaka Perikatan Nasional chief, is vying for a spot on the Bersatu Supreme Council in next month’s party elections.

Azmi warned that what is happening in Melaka is just the tip of the iceberg. “It’s going to happen in other divisions, too, so there will be turmoil,” he said.

Syaza Shukri of International Islamic University Malaysia said Bersatu was fraught with factionalism because its leaders had not been able to keep members in line.

“Since the problem starts from the top, this leads to issues with trust and now we can see it has affected the grassroots as well. Competition is normal, but it should be managed internally to show the party is still cohesive,” she said.

Syaza also said the problem was not something Bersatu could afford to dismiss.

“The concern is there would be defections and then what would be left of Bersatu? If they cannot deal with this grave factionalism, what is holding the party together?” she said.

Too little, too late?

Earlier this month, Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal questioned the action of several Supreme Council members in allegedly disregarding Muhyiddin’s orders by contesting the vice-president’s posts.

Asked if Muhyiddin should issue a statement to indicate his openness to having the posts contested, Syaza said it was too late, and such a move could be seen as another U-turn after he had reversed his decision to step down as party president.

“At this point, I think it is best for Bersatu to not make too many public statements and try to close ranks. But Muhyiddin must play his role because now it appears that Hamzah is more prominent, and he is polarising,” she said.