After the sacking of Bersatu’s deputy president Hamzah Zainudin, what began as a disciplinary action has now snowballed into what appears to be a full-blown structural crisis.
Hamzah himself has refused to retreat quietly. In the aftermath of his expulsion under Clause 9.1.4 of the party constitution, he called on leaders aligned with his “Reset” movement to transform rhetoric into reality.
“Reset is not merely a slogan,” he said. “It requires courage, honesty, and dedication to effect change.”
“Reset is not just about looking back with regret, but about moving forward with confidence.”
“Reset requires commitment, trust, and sincere, honest responsibility. Reset is for religion, race, and the country.”
Despite his removal from Bersatu, PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan confirmed that Hamzah remains Opposition Leader in Parliament.
“So he will remain as PN’s opposition leader.”
That single sentence carries political weight. It signals that while Bersatu has expelled him, the broader opposition coalition has not stripped him of relevance.
But the more telling developments are not about Hamzah’s words.
They are about the silence — and the withdrawals — that followed.
One by one, previously sacked leaders began retracting their appeals.
Former minister Saifuddin Abdullah withdrew his appeal against his dismissal with immediate effect. In his letter, he wrote:
“I hope the appeals board will take note and halt any proceedings in regards to my appeal.”
He gave no explanation.
Shortly after, Wan Saiful Wan Jan followed suit, formally informing the disciplinary board of his decision to withdraw his appeal.
Then came perhaps the most blunt statement of all.
Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal, when asked why he would not appeal his dismissal, answered with striking clarity:
“Bersatu is a dying party,” the former Supreme Council member said when asked why he had decided not to appeal.
That was not emotional rhetoric. It was a political diagnosis.
The message from these leaders is unmistakable: appealing to rejoin Bersatu under Muhyiddin Yassin is no longer worth the effort.
Why fight to re-enter a structure you believe has lost direction? The right thing to do to an sinking ship is abandon it, not queue up patiently to buy a boarding ticket.
To remain, in their view, would be like chewing on a bone hoping to taste meat — and if you taste anything at all, it is merely your own saliva. A self-comforting illusion.
If Bersatu still possessed internal vitality, expelled members would be scrambling to return. Instead, they are walking away — calmly, deliberately, even collectively.
The fracture extends to senior leadership.
Bersatu vice-president Ronald Kiandee did not mince words when he accused the party’s disciplinary board of being manipulated.
“This is an abuse of power by the disciplinary board.”
“The board is influenced by the president, who is using whatever power he has left to stay relevant.”
He went further, suggesting that Muhyiddin appeared to be clinging to the presidency to pursue a personal agenda of returning to office.
When a vice-president publicly questions the president’s legitimacy, the crisis is no longer internal housekeeping. It becomes existential.
And then came the structural shock from Johor.
Eleven Bersatu divisions — Pontian, Simpang Renggam, Sembrong, Mersing, Johor Baru, Pengerang, Labis, Tanjung Piai, Sri Gading, Ledang and Pulai — announced their dissolution.
Pontian chief Datuk Isa Abdul Hamid described the decision as painful but necessary.
“We love Bersatu deeply, but at this juncture, we are compelled to make a brave and dignified decision for the sake of religion, race and the nation.”
“The prolonged leadership crisis, including the dismissal of senior leaders and MPs, has made the party’s direction unclear and eroded the confidence of members and voters.”
“The inability of party president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Johor Bersatu chairman Datuk Dr Sahruddin Jamal to unite division leaders has caused us to lose confidence in the party.”
Those are not the words of fringe members. They are the words of division chiefs speaking at a press conference attended by party members.
Former Johor Baru chief Datuk Zulkifli Bujang added:
“We are not moving alone. Whatever decision is made next will be done together. Our struggle remains the same, only the platform may differ.”
The platform may differ.
That sentence suggests political migration — not political retirement.
Across the country, more resignations followed.
Bukit Gantang’s division chief stepped down.
Bagan Serai’s leadership exited en bloc.
Bintulu became the first division in Sarawak to collectively resign.
Tanjung Malim’s committee announced its departure.
As of reports, at least 26 divisions nationwide have been affected.
Secretary-general Azmin Ali insisted that divisions lack constitutional authority to dissolve themselves.
Technically, perhaps that is true.
But politics is not sustained by constitutional clauses alone. It is sustained by confidence.
Even PAS leaders have begun speaking in metaphors.
PAS treasurer Iskandar Abdul Samad wrote:
“A ship in turmoil cannot lead an armada, especially when it is sinking.”
Information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari spoke of the difficulty of living with “noisy neighbours.”
When coalition partners publicly describe your party as a sinking vessel, the symbolism is devastating.
The cumulative effect is unmistakable.
Expelled leaders are not appealing.
Division chiefs are resigning.
Vice-presidents are rebelling.
Grassroots confidence is eroding.
Coalition partners are distancing themselves rhetorically.
Muhyiddin still wears the president’s cap. The formal hierarchy remains intact.
But command is not determined by titles.
It is determined by loyalty — and loyalty appears to be shifting.
Hamzah’s “Reset” gathering, attended by MPs even after his expulsion, demonstrated that authority can migrate beyond party constitutions. The centre of gravity is no longer clearly located within Bersatu’s official structure.
The captain may still stand on the bridge.
But if the crew is lowering lifeboats, and passengers are voluntarily stepping off, then the crisis is no longer about disciplinary breaches.
It is about legitimacy.
At some point, a political party must ask itself whether it is facing turbulence — or whether it is slowly taking in water below deck.
Because once enough officers refuse to appeal their removal…
Once enough divisions announce their departure…
Once enough allies speak in metaphors of sinking ships…
The question ceases to be whether the storm will pass.
The question becomes whether the vessel can still float.
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