The Malaysian Insight

BERSATU grassroots members are hoping their first party elections, to begin at the end of this month, will not see the chaos at last year’s annual general meeting because of problems with the membership roll.

The party headquarters will release the list of branch members tomorrow and its accuracy is important as all members will get to vote at the branch and division levels.

Any mistake and members’ right to vote will be affected in the party’s first polls since its formation in September 2016. 

At Bersatu’s AGM in December 2018, some names of delegates approved by headquarters didn’t tally with branch-level membership rolls.

“We acknowledge there are weaknesses in the membership registration. But we are worried if they haven’t been resolved and the errors are repeated.

“There will be members protesting on that day if their names are not listed under a particular branch,” said Kuala Kangsar division vice chief Abby Rahim Mat Nor.

Since July last year, the Bersatu leadership has sought to address problems with the membership rolls.

The lack of clarity on some members’ status caused a ruckus during the AGMs of a few Bersatu divisions in Malacca, with groups of members claiming they did not receive the notice of meeting because their names were missing.

This led to accusations of certain division leaders manipulating the rolls to stay in power.

Bersatu uses two methods in its elections. 

The “one-member, one vote” method is used to elect branch and division leaders but delegates vote for the party’s top leadership. 

On Friday, party elections committee chairman Syed Hamid Jaafar Albar said members eligible to attend Bersatu branch meetings and vote must register and pay their annual fees by December 31.

Abby expects negligence about paying the fee to be another cause of membership problems.

“Although the yearly fee is only RM2, most members take it lightly. If their names are not on the membership roll on the day of the conference, then chaos ensues. That is what we are concerned about,” Abby said.

Umno also uses payment of annual fees to decide on members’ status. This was abolished in 2009 and replaced with a lifetime membership fee of RM2 as a move to stop money politics.

Bersatu was formed in 2016 by Dr Mahathir Mohamad after quitting Umno. With many of its members coming from the former Malay ruling party, its administrative structures are similar to Umno’s.

Bersatu agreed to postpone its inaugural party elections to this year at an extraordinary general meeting last July.

Its national-level AGM will be held on June 20 and will be preceded by annual meetings at the branch level from January 25 to March 1.

Division meetings will be held nationwide on April 4, when delegates will also vote for members of the supreme council.

When headquarters releases the list of branch members tomorrow, there will be a five-day window to file complaints.

Bangi branch member Arman Putera Asmuni said he is concerned that things might heat up following the release of the name list.

There is also a lack of awareness among members about the rules for conferences and elections, he said.

“The lack of information has caused confusion among the grassroots. That’s when allegations will emerge,” he said.

Bersatu Selangor treasurer Mohd Shaid Rosli advises members to be rational and file their complaints during the five-day objection period instead of airing them at branch meetings.

“We have an open platform in the party to voice disapproval. Don’t become emotional. We have a period for objections. Use that platform wisely to air any disapproval.” – January 6, 2020.