KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was no longer relevant as Bersatu president after the party's significant loss in the last Johor and Melaka state elections, says Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal.
He said he had raised this at an internal party meeting in the past, and not publicly as claimed by Muhyiddin's former principal private secretary, Datuk Dr Marzuki Mohamad.
"I admit that I raised this matter during an Armada (Youth wing) meeting, that Abah (Muhyiddin) was no longer relevant," he told reporters at the Parliament media room here on Tuesday (Oct 28).
"This is because the (party failed to win significantly in) Johor, which is his state.
"The campaign strategy was also wrong because we focused on an individual (Muhyiddin).
"As Armada chief at the time, I went down and spoke to the grassroots and voters, and they told me this. So I informed the grassroots not to focus on the 'Abah' figure when campaigning," he added.
Bersatu won only two seats each in the 2021 Melaka state polls and in Johor the following year.
Wan Ahmad Fayhsal, who was recently suspended from the party for one term, said he had previously defended Muhyiddin, the Pagoh MP, in public.
Marzuki has claimed that certain quarters have been trying to remove Muhyiddin as party president since he resigned as prime minister in 2021.
Wan Ahmad Fayhsal also claimed that there are members at odds with party deputy president Hamzah Zainudin, among them vice-president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu and secretary-general Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali.
Despite his suspension, Wan Ahmad Fayhsal said he would remain with Bersatu and not join any other party.
"We will continue to fight and make Bersatu right again. We did not commit any offences," he said, adding that he does not know of any memorandum signed by Bersatu MPs calling for Muhyiddin’s resignation.
On Oct 14, the Bersatu disciplinary board sacked five leaders, including Tasek Gelugor MP Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan, for violating the party’s code of conduct.
Wan Ahmad Fayhsal had his membership suspended for one term.
The other four who were sacked are all division chiefs, namely Mohd Azrudin Mhd Idris (Hang Tuah Jaya), Mohd Faizal Asmar (Pengerang), Mohd Fadhli Ismail (Ipoh Timur) and Mohd Isa Mohd Saidi (Ampang).
