KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 — The Registrar of Societies (RoS) has recognised that former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is no longer the chairman of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, according to a letter that has been spread online.
In the letter to Bersatu’s working secretary Capt (Rtd) Muhammad Suhaimi Yahya dated May 5, it said that party president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is now the acting chairman, per Article 16.9 of the party’s constitution.
The sub-article states that if the chairman resigns or is made to step down, the party president must fill the role until elections are conducted to appoint a new chairman, in line with Article 13.1 and enforced by Article 16.2.
“The Registrar takes note of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s resignation as Bersatu chairman via a letter dated to February 24, which comes into immediate effect and has also been forwarded to party president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin,” it said.
“Based on the document that is the chairman’s resignation letter, the Registrar confirms Tun Dr Mahathir’s resignation as valid. Party president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is now acting chairman with immediate effect, until as such an election can be held to appoint a new chairman.”
A copy of the letter was shared among others by Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Ahmad Kamal on social media.
Saya seru agar semua pihak menghormati proses sedia ada. Biarkan Pendaftar Pertubuhan menjalankan tanggungjawab beliau mengikut lunas undang-undang. pic.twitter.com/1yQ5eRdSBq
— Wan Ahmad Fayhsal (@wanfayhsal) May 19, 2020
Malay Mail is seeking elaboration with the RoS, Home Minister and newly-appointed Bersatu secretary-general Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin, and Dr Mahathir over the matter.
Earlier on May 9, Bersatu information chief Mohd Radzi Jidin had then insisted that Dr Mahathir is no longer the party chairman despite its Supreme Council’s previous decision to reject his resignation.
He argued that Bersatu’s constitution has no provision which allows the Supreme Council to reinstate someone as chairman, if the person in question had already relinquished the position.
After Dr Mahathir tendered is resignation as prime minister to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, this led to Bersatu leaving the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition and its government collapsing within the same day, followed by the ascension of the Perikatan Nasional government in March.
The copy of letter was released today, seemingly timed with a statement from top Bersatu leaders insisting that the party had made the decision in the abovementioned meeting.
Earlier, an audio clip was also leaked in which Dr Mahathir was heard attempting to delay his own party’s exit from PH.
The statement also touched on how Bersatu as a party is fully behind the formation of Perikatan Nasional (PN) as a coalition aimed at achieving the goals and objectives set by PN’s memorandum of understanding.
It noted how Bersatu agreed to form an alliance with other parties to form PN for the betterment of the people and country’s political stability, while declaring its undivided support for the PN government led by Bersatu’s president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
