Klang Bersatu disbands, joins wave of Klang Valley defections

Klang Bersatu division chief Syed Abdillah Syed Abdul Aziz has declared the dissolution of the division, the latest in a string of defections today.

He said the division would apply to join Dr Mahathir Mohamad's new party once it is set up.

"We, the Klang Bersatu division, unanimously ask to become members of this new party," Abdillah declared at a press conference today.

The press conference was streamed live on Facebook.

Earlier, Selangor assemblyperson for Jeram Mohd Shaid Rosli announced his departure from Bersatu and stated his support for the party's ousted chairperson, Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Three Bersatu supreme council members - A Kadir Jasin, Tariq Ismail Mustafa and Abu Bakar Yahya have also quit the party.

This comes after Mahathir disclosed plans for a yet-to-be-named new party yesterday.

In a statement today, Shaid also claimed that members and leaders from both Jeram Bersatu and Kuala Selangor Bersatu were also quitting the party.

“As the assemblyperson chosen by the rakyat in Jeram, I am responsible for the mandate and trust given to me. I want to continue to be with those who gave me the mandate until they make another choice in the next general election.

“Thus, together with the (Jeram) committee, division chiefs and a majority of Kuala Selangor Bersatu members, we have decided to quit Bersatu today Aug 8, 2020, to become independents.

“We will also continue to support Mahathir’s leadership and struggle,” he said, adding that Bersatu had strayed from its original objective of fighting “kleptocracy” by now choosing to work with individuals who were rejected by voters in GE14.

He also claimed grassroots members were neither consulted nor in agreement with Bersatu’s move to enter a “new pact”, understood to refer to Perikatan Nasional (PN). Instead, Shaid alleged that the decision had been made by the party’s supreme council members.

In his statement, he blamed Bersatu president and Mahathir’s rival Muhyiddin Yassin for causing Pakatan Harapan’s collapse. He predicted that Bersatu will need to compete against PN partners Umno and PAS for the chance to contest Malay-majority seats in GE15, and expected more “treachery” to occur among the parties.

Meanwhile, Kadir announced his move to quit the party in a Facebook post last night.

"I have left Bersatu effective Aug 6 through a letter dated the same day to the working secretary (Muhammad Suhaimi Yahya)," said Mahathir's former media advisor.

Tariq also announced his resignation via Facebook.

"I, Tariq Ismail Mustafa, bearing membership no. 0051 and a member of the supreme council of Bersatu do hereby announce my resignation from the party," he said in a statement.

He thanked Muhyiddin for believing in him but opined that the party had strayed from its founding principles. 

Abu Bakar, meanwhile, apologised to Bersatu leaders for his decision and explained that he had to remain by Mahathir's side.

Relations between Mahathir and Muhyiddin soured after the “Sheraton Move” political coup in February that resulted in the latter being sworn in as the eighth prime minister.

Mahathir has since branded him a traitor and publicly broke away from Muhyiddin's leadership by sitting with the opposition in the Dewan Rakyat.

In response, Muhyiddin’s faction moved to expel the Langkawi MP and his supporters from the party.