Bersatu veep’s exit a slap to the party, says analyst
Rafiq Naizamohideen’s decision to quit the party shows Bersatu’s leadership is on shaky ground, says an analyst.
PETALING JAYA: An analyst has described Bersatu vice-president Rafiq Naizamohideen’s exit as a “slap to the face” of the party’s leadership, especially with the general election (GE15) around the corner.
Council of Professors fellow Jeniri Amir said his resignation showed that even some office-bearers no longer had confidence in the party.
“They are clearly disappointed with the leadership. This is not good for Bersatu which is already considered one of the weakest parties in the country,” he told FMT.
On Sunday Rafiq, who is also Bersatu’s Tangga Batu chief, said he was disappointed at not being allowed to contest the Tangga Batu parliamentary seat in GE15.
Rafiq previously was the Melaka Perikatan Nasional and Bersatu chairman but stepped down after failing to win the Telok Mas seat in the Melaka state elections in November 2021.
While Perikatan Nasional (PN) has yet to announce its candidates, Melaka PAS yesterday said it would field candidates for the Tangga Batu and Jasin parliamentary seats in GE15.
Jeniri also described Rafiq’s decision to quit at such a crucial time as “self-serving”.
“If he is a leader he would stay and fight for the party’s cause,” he said.
He saw Bersatu being worse off come GE15, saying it could expect to win only five to six seats, impossible for it to form a government.
In 2018, Bersatu under Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s leadership won 13 parliamentary seats as a Pakatan Harapan (PH) component.
He pointed out that on top of having a weak grassroots machinery, Bersatu also did not have a pull factor now that Mahathir was no longer its president.
“He had charisma. Also, in 2018 they campaigned on issues like the 1MDB scandal, Rosmah Mansor’s bribery charges and so on. Now, they don’t have a mother of all issues,” he said.
Bersatu, Jeniri said, was going to face an uphill battle in view of the party’s precarious position.
Meanwhile, Oh Ei Sun of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs said Rafiq’s leaving would not affect Bersatu’s electoral chances because he was not a “heavyweight” contender.
“However, looking at the bigger picture, the party’s electoral chances in GE15 will take a hit as it goes toe-to-toe with Barisan Nasional and PH,” he said.
PETALING JAYA: An analyst has described Bersatu vice-president Rafiq Naizamohideen’s exit as a “slap to the face” of the party’s leadership, especially with the general election (GE15) around the corner.
Council of Professors fellow Jeniri Amir said his resignation showed that even some office-bearers no longer had confidence in the party.
“They are clearly disappointed with the leadership. This is not good for Bersatu which is already considered one of the weakest parties in the country,” he told FMT.
On Sunday Rafiq, who is also Bersatu’s Tangga Batu chief, said he was disappointed at not being allowed to contest the Tangga Batu parliamentary seat in GE15.
Rafiq previously was the Melaka Perikatan Nasional and Bersatu chairman but stepped down after failing to win the Telok Mas seat in the Melaka state elections in November 2021.
While Perikatan Nasional (PN) has yet to announce its candidates, Melaka PAS yesterday said it would field candidates for the Tangga Batu and Jasin parliamentary seats in GE15.
Jeniri also described Rafiq’s decision to quit at such a crucial time as “self-serving”.
“If he is a leader he would stay and fight for the party’s cause,” he said.
He saw Bersatu being worse off come GE15, saying it could expect to win only five to six seats, impossible for it to form a government.
In 2018, Bersatu under Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s leadership won 13 parliamentary seats as a Pakatan Harapan (PH) component.
He pointed out that on top of having a weak grassroots machinery, Bersatu also did not have a pull factor now that Mahathir was no longer its president.
“He had charisma. Also, in 2018 they campaigned on issues like the 1MDB scandal, Rosmah Mansor’s bribery charges and so on. Now, they don’t have a mother of all issues,” he said.
Bersatu, Jeniri said, was going to face an uphill battle in view of the party’s precarious position.
Meanwhile, Oh Ei Sun of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs said Rafiq’s leaving would not affect Bersatu’s electoral chances because he was not a “heavyweight” contender.
“However, looking at the bigger picture, the party’s electoral chances in GE15 will take a hit as it goes toe-to-toe with Barisan Nasional and PH,” he said.
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