BERSATU members are no longer confident that the Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin-led party can make it until the 16th General Election (GE16).
A senior leader who spoke on condition of anonymity claimed the situation arose following investigations and charges against several Bersatu leaders linked to the Jana Wibawa money laundering cases.
“They are not convinced that Bersatu can rise again from the effects of the charges for cases as big as Jana Wibawa and maybe, Bersatu may not even last until the next general election,” the senior leader was quoted as saying by Berita Harian today (Nov 13).
The senior leader also anticipated that five more Bersatu MPs would soon declare their support for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s administration.
“It all depends on the roles played by those who are persuading to convince them to support the government,” the senior leader said, adding that the move to support the unity government does not only involve MPs.
“There are also state assemblymen. Division chiefs and those who hold positions in party wings are also waiting for the time to declare their support for the government,” he added.
According to the senior leader, many of their counterparts as well as some from the Bersatu leadership have already begun planning their move to support the government, based on information received from division chiefs and other Bersatu members.
“At the moment, the five MPs mentioned will influence their other friends or party to try to restore their confidence.
“There is information saying that 11 Bersatu MPs will pledge their support for the government, but I am confident that there are nine; four (MPs) have already made the announcement (that they will support the unity government) so there should be five more,” the source remarked.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi also said more opposition MPs will announce their support for Anwar.
“But we anticipate more opposition MPs will back the prime minister,” Zahid was quoted as saying by FMT on Thursday (Nov 9), adding that the support given by the Perikatan Nasional (PN) MPs should be accepted in good faith.
The UMNO president also told grassroots leaders in the respective constituencies not to take the support given by the four MPs for granted.
“Instead, the party should work harder to ensure UMNO and Barisan Nasional (BN) can reclaim the four parliamentary seats,” Zahid said.
On Wednesday (Nov 8), Jeli MP Zahari Kechik became the fourth and latest Bersatu MP to pledge their support for Anwar’s leadership, citing the wellbeing of his constituents.
Previously, Gua Musang MP Datuk Mohd Azizi Abu Naim, Kuala Kangsar MP Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid and Labuan MP Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman had done the same, citing the same reason.
Bersatu secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin recently announced that Iskandar and Suhaili had been suspended from the party for four and six years respectively by the party’s disciplinary board committee, and that they had also been relieved of all positions in the party.
No disciplinary action has been announced against Mohd Azizi and Zahari at the time of writing. – Nov 13, 2023
Main pic credit: Bernama
