KUALA LUMPUR — Indera Mahkota MP Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah has added his voice to the growing number of Bersatu MPs calling for Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to step down as the party's president, claiming that the former prime minister has lost the leadership qualities he once demonstrated.
In an interview with Sinar Harian, Saifuddin argued that Muhyiddin is no longer the leader he was when Bersatu was first formed.
"The core issue is that he (Muhyiddin) has lost his leadership qualities. He is no longer the Tan Sri Muhyiddin we knew before," he said, confirming that he and other party members had issued a joint statement demanding his resignation.
Saifuddin further criticised Muhyiddin's management of the party's leadership, accusing him of fostering an environment that is no longer inclusive. He highlighted the failure to convene a meeting of the party’s Supreme Leadership Council (MPT) as evidence of his poor management.
"He doesn't call an MPT meeting, so how are we supposed to discuss things?" Saifuddin remarked.
In addition to demanding Muhyiddin's resignation, Saifuddin also called for two other senior leaders, Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali and Tun Faizal Ismail Aziz, to step down from their respective positions.
He claimed that Azmin had not addressed two key issues affecting his credibility — a scandal involving a video and his increasingly autocratic style of leadership, citing a recent "draconian" letter issued by the secretary-general.
Saifuddin also criticised Bersatu Information Chief Tun Faizal for failing to carry out his duties effectively, accusing him of acting more like a "chief provocateur" than a party spokesperson.
Saifuddin stressed that the call for leadership changes was not an attempt to bring down Bersatu, but rather to save the party from further damage caused by its current leadership.
"What we are doing does not violate the constitution. We are not trying to tarnish the party, but to save it from those who are already tarnishing it," he said.
Saifuddin's statement follows similar calls from other suspended Bersatu MPs, including Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal and Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan. Last week, the duo claimed that Muhyiddin is "no longer viable and tenable" as a leader, accusing him of poor judgement and undermining Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin, which they said had weakened Perikatan Nasional (PN).
The two MPs, who appeared on the Trick Lama podcast, argued that Bersatu and PN needed a "fresh face" to lead in the next general election. Wan Fayhsal, who also said that he still loved Muhyiddin for bringing him into politics, asserted that the party's future depended on a change in leadership.
"We need someone new. Muhyiddin has become a liability," said Wan Fayhsal, who also noted that PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang had expressed a preference for a leader under 70 and free from court cases. "The odds are against him," he added.
Wan Saiful, another former Bersatu member, supported this view, claiming that Bersatu only gained momentum when Hamzah took a more prominent role. He contrasted this with the period when the opposition was perceived as weak under Muhyiddin's leadership.
"When people said Perikatan Nasional was weak, the one leading was Tan Sri Muhyiddin," Wan Saiful said. "But when Datuk Seri Hamzah moved to the forefront, the momentum surged."
The growing internal conflict was also described by Wan Fayhsal as a struggle between "two lions on the same mountain." He accused Muhyiddin’s inner circle of undermining Hamzah’s authority as opposition leader, further weakening the party’s ability to function effectively as an opposition force.
The two MPs, along with four other division chiefs, were recently suspended or expelled from the party for alleged disciplinary violations. However, they maintain that their actions were aimed at reclaiming the party and restoring its original principles. - October 27, 2025
The post Saifuddin joins Wan Saiful and Wan Fayhsal in calling for Muhyiddin’s resignation appeared first on Scoop.