Masjid Tanah Bersatu implodes as Mas Ermieyati, senior leaders quit
Masjid Tanah MP Mas Ermieyati Samsudin today announced her resignation as the Masjid Tanah Bersatu division chief.
Mas Ermieyati (above) confirmed her exit when contacted by Malaysiakini.
Her move was subsequently followed by the entire senior leadership of the division, including Roslan Joned (division deputy chief), Norihan Bahari (division Women’s chief), Majidul Ikhwan Jidin (division Youth chief), Shahrul Azhar Amir (division secretary), Isa Jani (division information chief), and Dr Nordina Abd Latif (division treasurer).
Beyond the senior leadership, 11 more division committee members and the wing secretaries also tendered their resignations.
Ten branch chiefs under the Masjid Tanah division also resigned.
The division's committee members, wing chiefs, and branch chiefs made the drastic decision during a special meeting today.
Taking to Facebook, Shahrul said the move was taken following the erosion of grassroots confidence towards the leadership of party president Muhyiddin Yassin.
"With our resignations, it is hereby declared that the Masjid Tanah Bersatu division committee is formally dissolved," he added.
In the two-hour meeting, Mas Ermieyati, who was also Bersatu Women’s chief and party supreme council member, briefed attendees on the latest developments about the political conflict gripping the party, then opened the floor to questions from the delegates in attendance.
Turmoil in Perak and Sarawak
Meanwhile, the New Straits Times reported that leaders and committee members from three Bersatu divisions in Perak had also announced their resignations following the sacking of Hamzah Zainudin as the party's deputy president.
Those who stepped down included Amran Ibrahim (Tanjung Malim Bersatu deputy division chief), Ahmad Man (Bukit Gantang Bersatu division chief) and Ismail Ali (Bagan Serai Bersatu division chief).
The NST further reported that Bersatu's Bintulu branch in Sarawak also followed suit, becoming the first division in the state to leave the party.
Duke Janteng, who announced his resignation as Bintulu Bersatu division chief, said 110 members - including the division leadership, branch chiefs, and heads of the Women's and Youth wings, had chosen to quit and sever all ties with the party.
"We no longer have confidence in the Bersatu leadership led by Muhyiddin.
"The party has strayed far from its original struggle, particularly in defending the rights and interests of the indigenous community in Sarawak," NST reported him saying.
Yesterday, 11 divisions in Johor dissolved as a group, namely Pontian, Simpang Renggam, Sembrong, Mersing, Johor Bahru, Pengerang, Labis, Tanjung Piai, Seri Gading, Ledang and Pulai. Later, the Dungun division in Terengganu followed suit.
Group spokesperson Isa Ab Hamid, who was also Pontian Bersatu division chief, said the move came after more than half of each division’s committee members resigned.
Bersatu secretary-general Azmin Ali, however, dismissed such “unconstitutional” dissolution announcements.
In a statement, Azmin said the dissolution announcements directly conflict with several provisions of the party constitution and standing orders.
He stressed that the party's founding document does not vest any member, including a division chief, with the authority to dissolve a division unilaterally.
