All 26 division heads of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) in Johor today gave their support to Datuk Dr Sahruddin Jamal on his appointment as the new menteri besar.
Mohd Solihan Badri, the party’s media director in Johor, said today’s meeting also discussed the party’s strategy in strengthening its position in the state.
TTF: This isn’t merely a show of support towards Shahruddin (see news item below), but a message by the state’s PPBM leadership that it is firmly behind Muhyiddn and Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim and is ever ready to wage a war against Mahathir to defend the Palace of Johor.
For the record, Johor currently has the largest number of MPs from PPBM compared to all other states in the peninsula of Malaysia and Sabah.
It is said that PPBM MPs from Negeri Sembilan, Malacca and Penang are also with team Muhyiddin-Anwar and are contemplating an EGM to boot Mahathir out from the party.
In 1998, things were quite easy for the old man, as the person he wanted to oust, Anwar, did not enjoy the support of the palaces and was not a big gun in any of the nine Malay states.
Muhyiddin, however, shares a rapport with the Palace of Johor and enjoys strong grassroots support in the state.
The Palace of Johor has always stood as Mahathir’s choice ‘battleground’ in his never ending quest to cripple the Monarchical Institution.
In 1993, he got parliament to pass amendments to Articles 32, 38, 42, 63, 72 and 181 of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia following an incident involving the Ruler of Johor.
Prior to the amendments, the Constitution granted the Rulers the right not to be prosecuted by criminal courts unless they voluntarily surrendered their legal immunity.
The amendments stripped the Rulers of that right by granting a Special Court the authority to exercise jurisdiction over them and decide if they could be tried or if they could try another.
JOHOR BARU: All 26 division heads of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) in Johor today gave their support to Datuk Dr Sahruddin Jamal on his appointment as the new menteri besar.
Johor Bersatu deputy chairman Senator Mohd Nasir Hashim said they decided to do so at a meeting with Dr Sahruddin at the party’s office in Kempas, here, today.
“We have just had a meeting and all Johor Bersatu division heads agreed to unanimously support the appointment of Datuk Dr Sahruddin Jamal as the menteri besar of Johor.
“We will also cooperate with him (Dr Sahruddin) to ‘smoothen’ the administration of the Johor state government,” he said.
Nasir, who is also the party’s Gelang Patah division head, said the party’s Srikandis (Women) and Armada (Youth) wing, had also expressed their support for Dr Saharuddin.
“Our pledge of support for the menteri besar was made because during his appointment (on April 14), we were busy with the by-election in Rantau, Negri Sembilan.
“It is only now that we have come together and had a meeting,” he said.
Mohd Solihan Badri, the party’s media director in Johor, said today’s meeting also discussed the party’s strategy in strengthening its position in the state.
He said the party’s relationship with the Johor government would be enhanced and its views would also be taken into account in the development of the state.
“This is to ensure the voice of the grassroots is heard by the leadership.
“I think all divisions will also work hard and we have plans to help division heads in governance and to strengthen aspects of management and finance.
“We are praying today, we are the ‘Team Bersatu’, that is why we had the meeting to explain several issues, including the appointment of the state executive council.
“We have a strong understanding among the division heads and I believe there will be no issue after this.
“I hope members at the branch level support Bersatu in Johor, for us to continue the struggle,” he said.
Dr Sahruddin, 43, was sworn in as the 17th menteri besar on April 14 after replacing Datuk Osman Sapian who resigned on April 8.
Adapted from:
