RPK: Bersatu likely to follow self-destructive path of Semangat 46; Azmin to replace Hamzah as sec-gen By FocusM

Focus Malaysia:

RPK: Bersatu likely to follow self-destructive path of Semangat 46; Azmin to replace Hamzah as sec-gen

Raja Petra Kamarudin (RPK)


FUGITIVE blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin’s (RPK) Bersatu bashing has lingered on with the once PKR frontman likening the fate of the UMNO splinter party to that of Semangat 46 which only survived eight years prior to being dissolved in 1996 with all its members returning to UMNO.

The Malaysia Today editor with ties to the Selangor royalty drew such comparison as Bersatu has clocked seven years of existence to-date.

“Will Bersatu repeat the history of Semangat 46 of which in a year or two from now the party will also be buried?” wondered the opposition-slant mercenary blogger in his latest video clip.

“Founder Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah decided to disband Semangat 46 as he deemed that the party has no hope for the future … he has to accept the painful truth that Semangat 46 was incapable of replacing UMNO, hence a return to UMNO is imminent for the political future of its leaders.”

Recall that Semangat 46 was formed by Tengku Razaleigh’s “Team B” faction in 1988 as a challenge to twice former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad during his first stint in office (1981-2003).

Back then, Semangat 46 even boasted the personal support of former UMNO prime ministers (PM) Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tun Hussein Onn, both of whom had also fallen out with Dt Mahathir.

“Bersatu which dreams to replace UMNO cannot advance exactly like Semangat 46 in view of power struggle or internal crisis between two warring factions led by its supreme council member Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali and its secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin,” asserted RPK.

“In a way, this is the fault of its president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who has expressed his desire to quit the party or not contesting in the future … but still hold on to the party’s presidency, thus leaving both camps to be eyeing the coveted post.”

RPK further hurled insult at Bersatu for the eruption of civil war within the party has eventually resulted in the futile move to topple the unity government via the failed Dubai Move.

“In fact, rumours have abounded since June last year among Hamzah’s boys that the Opposition leader was on course to replace PM Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim,” revealed the self-exiled blogger from his Manchester, UK residence since 2009.

He further speculated: “Muhyiddin will replace Hamzah with Azmin during today’s (Jan 28) supreme council meeting with the Perikatan Nasional (PN) information chief eventually take over as the Opposition leader in the Dewan Rakyat.

“This will certainly spark a rebellion among Hamzah’s boys who had since June last year plotted Hamzah’s rise as Bersatu’s president … above all else, this comes a little too late for it serves no good to lock the door after the horse has bolted.

“No thanks to Bersatu, the harm are done for the Dubai Move is dead and buried with Anwar poised to remain PM all the way till GE16 (the 16th General Election).” – Jan 28, 2024