KANGAR, Sept 10 — Kangar Bersatu division deputy chief Faisol Rahman, together with the division committee and 90 of its 99 branch chiefs, announced tonight that they are leaving the party with immediate effect.

Also announcing their departure were the division’s Armada, Srikandi and Srikandi Muda leadership lines, including Armada Kangar deputy chief Mohd Firdaus Ismail and all Armada committee members.

Speaking at a press conference in Kuala Perlis last night, Faisol, on behalf of the group, said the move, however, did not involve any Bersatu Members of Parliament or state assemblymen within the division’s committee.

“This decision was made after careful deliberation, taking into account current developments and the views of the grassroots, who have lost faith in the central leadership.

“Having spent so long building the party at the grassroots level, we feel that trust in the party’s leadership has been lost,” he said.

Faisol said certain matters concerning the party’s direction, organisational management and leadership approach were no longer aligned with their hopes and aspirations as leaders at the division and branch levels.

He said the strength of a political party begins with trust between its leadership and grassroots members, and when that trust erodes, it is time for them to take a clear stand.

In light of this, he said they would be joining Parti Wawasan Negara, which is led by Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin.

Meanwhile, Perlis Bersatu leadership body chief Izizam Ibrahim said he viewed the resignations and departures positively, as it would enable an effective cleansing to strengthen the party in the state.

Izizam said that under Bersatu’s constitution, any resignation or vacancy within a division does not dissolve the division. Instead, a new organising committee will be formed to restructure the division’s leadership. — Bernama