Ku Li: Don’t underestimate Bersatu
Umno veteran says Dr Mahathir’s new party should not be underestimated as the leaders are no lightweights.
PETALING JAYA: Veteran Umno leader Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah has warned Barisan Nasional and Umno leaders against taking Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) lightly.
In a report on Sinar Harian Online, the Gua Musang MP said Bersatu, led by former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, should not be looked down upon as the party could become Umno’s main challenger in the next general election.
“Bersatu is led by leaders who are influential and experienced. Mahathir still has a lot of influence and is still respected,” he said at an event in Gua Musang, Kelantan.
Razaleigh added that former Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who is the Bersatu’s protem president, was also no lightweight.
Razaleigh, who in the past founded Semangat 46 and went against Mahathir when the latter was Umno president, said Bersatu’s leaders still held influence and could become strong.
Previously, some political analysts had drawn comparisons between Semangat 46 and Bersatu, but Razaleigh himself had dismissed the two parties shared any similarities.
Earlier this month, he said Semangat 46 was formed to prevent Umno members – who disagreed with the Umno Baru started by Mahathir – from joining other parties.
Unimas political scientist Andrew Aeria also dismissed similarities between Semangat 46 and Bersatu, saying Bersatu would not be able to put up as good a fight as Semangat 46 did.
He had also added that rather than help the Opposition defeat BN, Bersatu would only fracture the Opposition.
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