Little known PAS-splinter party Barisan Jemaah Islamiah Se-Malaysia (Berjasa) has claimed that Malay rights NGO Perkasa, acting in concert with Umno rebels linked to ex-deputy premier Muhyiddin Yassin, had tried to take over the party.

The deal was initially accepted by the party’s now suspended chairperson.

However negotiations turned sour after Berjasa’s central executive committee (CEC) rejected the offer, claiming that the offer did not meet the party’s interests and subsequently suspended its chairperson and referred him to the party disciplinary committee.

Berjasa acting chairperson Mustapa Kamal Maulut, who took over after the CEC suspended their former chief, related that Perkasa secretary-general Syed Hassan Syed Ali had approached him to negotiate the matter around July at a Selayang restaurant.

“The Perkasa representative (Syed Hassan) says that according to the current political scenario where several national leaders were sacked, a platform should be created for them to continue their struggle.

“(Syed Hassan) said it is hoped that Berjasa could surrender the party to new leadership in order for them to join Berjasa, as well as to change the party’s name and constitution,” revealed Mustapa.

Asked whether the “national leaders” referred to were Muhyiddin, ex-Umno veep Shafie Apdal and ex-Kedah menteri besar Muhkriz Mahathir, Mustapa said: “Yes.”

The trio were either sacked or resigned from Umno in June, just one month before the supposed Perkasa offer, and about the time the Malay rights NGO chief Ibrahim Ali announced that he will be re-entering politics soon, though he was sketchy about details.

Should the takeover succeed, Mustapa revealed, Muhyiddin will be made party president and other Umno rebels inserted into leadership positions.

However Mustapa said that the CEC members were dissatisfied with the Perkasa offer, as the current leadership will be demoted to normal central committee members to pave the way for the new leadership.

Malaysiakini has contacted Syed Hassan for comment.

While Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) has already been registered by Muhyiddin and six others as their platform to fight against Umno and Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, it stands to reason that this may have been their backup plan, should the face any hurdles.

Parti Ikatan Bangsa Malaysia (Ikatan) which was registered in 2012 for example, had to wait three years later until 2015, before the Registrar of Societies finally approved their registration.

Re-purposing lesser political parties is nothing new of course as ex-federal minister Zaid Ibrahim had done when he took over another PAS splinter party, Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia (Akim), renaming it to Parti Keseahteraan Insan Tanahair (Kita) and becoming its president.