'BIG FIGHTS' BETWEEN BERSATU'S TOP 2 ERUPT INTO THE OPEN - WHAT! HAMZAH STILL 'NEW' & UNDER 'TRAINING'? - WHAT A SLAP FROM MUHYIDDIN!

Written by Stan Lee, Politics Now! 

KUALA LUMPUR (Politics Now!) - Long-simmering tensions between Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin and his party-secretary Hamzah Zainuddin has finally erupted into the open. 

Muhyiddin has indicated he is not ready to relinquish the Bersatu presidency - not even to Hamzah, whom he claims he is still "training".

"Yes, the two (Muhyiddin and Hamzah) have big fights but it's not clear if Muhyiddin favors Azmin either," a political insider told Politics Now!

The insider was referring to former senior minister Azmin Ali and Bersatu deputy president Ahmad Faizal Azumu, who along with Hamzah are considered the frontrunners to replace Muhyiddin.

HAMZAH STILL WET BEHIND THE EARS? WHAT AN INSULT!

Hamzah, who is also the Opposition Leader, is seen as the most capable of the three. However he has been blamed for the backdoor defections of four Bersatu MPs. The party is expected to focus on the debacle at its annual meeting this weekend.

Hamzah is expected to get a tongue-lashing with Muhyiddin himself setting the tone by saying there was still room for Hamzah to improve as the parliamentary Opposition Leader. 

“It’s because he’s new," Muhyiddin was reported as saying in Free Malaysia Today.

“I don’t want to monopolise everything,” he added, referring to criticisms from rivals that the de-facto defections would not have happened if he had been Opposition Leader instead of Hamzah.

“I am known as a former prime minister, so parliamentary duties should be given to a younger person.”  

The four Bersatu MPs had declared support for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's government in exchange for federal funding, while refusing to resign from Bersatu, so as to avoid vacating their seats - leaving the party in a bind and vulnerable to 'losing' more MPs.

SUBTLE DOUBLESPEAK

In subtle doublespeak, Muhyiddin also dared challengers for the opposition party's top post.

"However, if someone wants to take over, let them do so first," said Muhyiddin.

"I am still considering whether to run or not (for the Bersatu presidency during the party polls). I am weighing all options," the NST quoted Muhyiddin as saying.

"Perhaps, when the time comes, I will step away."

While he did not name those who might want to take him on, he acknowledged the calls from several Bersatu leaders including supreme council member Eddin Syazlee for the party to fix its weaknesses before the next general election.

SMOOTH POWER TRANSITION, 'NO CONTESTS' & DPM CARROT

Muhyiddin also pledged a "smooth transition of power whenever the time comes" and appeared to be calling for a 'no contest' for the party's top posts.

He even dangled the post of deputy prime minister apparently as a carrot to appease those who might be considering a 'revolt'.

"This is how we manage the party, do not let aspirations for positions create disunity among us. Let us avoid fighting each other at a time when the party has started to receive support from the Malay community." 

"Where there is a contest during party polls, there will be teams A, B and C... just like what happened in Umno during party election. As of now, such a situation has not happened (in Bersatu). There are avenues and ways, based on the principle of musyawarah (consensus) to ensure that the new line-up of leadership is accepted by everyone in the party."

"Some of them have many years of experience who are capable of even assuming the role of TPM (deputy prime minister) but they have yet to be given the opportunity," Muhyiddin added.

Written by Stan Lee, Politics Now! 

Politics Now!