A veteran politician makes a move

GIMMICK? Political drama? Master stroke?

On Nov 24, during Bersatu’s sixth annual general meeting (AGM) in Shah Alam, party president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced that he would not defend his post in the next party polls.

“This is to make way for the next leadership to take over,” the former prime minister told delegates.

“The senior leadership should discuss the takeover. Take care of the party,” the Pagoh MP said.

We now know, of course, that he backtracked, but not before there was much agitation in the party.

Most of the delegates were shocked, and protested the decision. And an emergency supreme council meeting, chaired by Bersatu deputy president Ahmad Faizal Azumu, was held to discuss it.

“The meeting unanimously decided to reject Muhyiddin’s proposal not to defend his post in the party election,” announced Bersatu secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin in a statement issued late on Friday.

“The supreme council is of the unanimous view that Muhyid-din’s leadership is needed by the party and the country.”

The next day, during his closing speech at the AGM, Muhyiddin announced that he would stay another term as president after receiving blessings from his wife.

“My wife texted me ‘Stay another term. They need you’. I replied, ‘I know, so?’ and she said, ‘Carry on’. I then agreed to stay on for a last term, to which she replied, ‘This is for the nation. Abah must stay on’,” he told the delegates.

(Abah, or in English “father”, refers to Muhyiddin’s nickname when he was prime minister for 17 months between 2020 and 2021.)

Abah’s U-turn was greeted with happy shouts and screams from the Bersatu delegates.

Though one Bersatu leader known to have big ambitions seemed happy when Muhyiddin announced he was not defending his post and unhappy when that decision was revised.

Muhyiddin’s “I will not defend my post” announcement on Friday fit the political narrative that the Bersatu president was on his way out of politics.

The public perception is that Muhyiddin, who is also chairman of Opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional, has lost his political mojo, especially after Perikatan failed to win the Pulai, Simpang Jeram and Pelangai by-elections and five Bersatu MPs pledged support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim recently.

The political narrative is that Muhyiddin would be replaced by the person projected to be his successor, secretary-general Hamzah. The narrative also paints Hamzah as being in control of the party.

“Is Muhyiddin no longer in control of Bersatu?” I asked a Bersatu leader.

“Let’s talk about the party’s Constitution,” said the source, who did not want to be identified.

He explained that a Bersatu member who wants to challenge for the president and deputy president posts must be a supreme council member for two full terms. This means only a handful of Bersatu leaders are eligible to contest, and they are deputy president Ahmad Faizal, vice-president Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin and supreme council member Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof.

Hamzah, vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee and supreme council member Datuk Seri Azmin Ali can’t contest as they have not swerved on the supreme council for two years.

“Many people don’t understand this,” said my Bersatu source.

However, there is a clause in the party’s Constitution that allows the supreme council to decide that a Bersatu leader who has not served two full terms on the supreme council is eligible to be a candidate for the top posts.

“So now it is a game of who controls the supreme council. At the moment, it is the Bersatu president. The president has full power,” said the source.

“Whoever says they can take over Bersatu is talking rubbish. Muhyiddin is in control. But in politics, some politicians know how to position themselves. When they speak, it is as if they are the ones deciding.”

The man went on to explain that the political narrative is that these leaders control the party. But behind the scenes, it has always been the party president.

I was made to understand that Muhyiddin doesn’t mind playing a behind-the-scenes role as these leaders need to be seen to be in control of the party to convince other coalitions and parties that they could form the next federal government and supply the next prime minister.

However, I believe the plan has gone awry.

This faction in Bersatu can’t get enough support to bring down the Anwar government.

Instead, a new name for prime minister has emerged – jeng, jeng, jeng! – and it’s someone who might repeat twice-prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s political comeback.

The Bersatu faction is also seen as being compromised. Fingers point at them for the five Bersatu MPs pledging support to the Prime Minister.

Now that those five MPs support Anwar, does it mean that the Opposition can no longer oust him?

“The five are still Bersatu members. When the government starts falling, who do you think they will support?” the Bersatu source replied.

Then the Opposition upped the ante yesterday.

Bersatu supreme council member Mohd Redzuan claimed that 10 government MPs from various parties might join Perikatan.

“Rather than speculating about more Bersatu MPs supporting the government, I think talk of government MPs, including from Barisan Nasional and PKR, supporting Perikatan to form a new government is more realistic,” Mohd Redzuan said.

“I heard about more than 10 MPs wanting to switch sides. They are studying issues plaguing the government today and realise that it is led by DAP.”

The Bersatu source said there are landmines that the Anwar government is facing, including the possibility of Anwar mismanaging his Cabinet reshuffle, a worsening economic situation next year, and unhappy coalition partners. If a Bersatu leader has been compromised by the PM (ie, is working to undermine the party at Anwar’s bidding), he would not be able to take advantage if the PM steps on a landmine, the source said.

The Muhyiddin U-turn on defending his presidency is a master stroke. Checkmate on the Trojan Horses in Bersatu.