Muda heads into chaotic party polls

Harapandaily

This Saturday, Muda will hold its first internal election since the party was registered four years ago.

But despite the brave front put on by its new “leaders”, the party is clearly in shambles. 

Despite claiming to have 85 registered divisions, party officials declined to reveal its membership numbers in an interview with Malaysiakini published today.

What’s clear is that the party’s only legitimate crowd-puller and sole MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, will not be contesting the party polls.

Whether or not he will defend his Muar MP seat at the next general elections is also a question mark. He won the seat under Bersatu in 2018 and Muda in 2022. 

Aside from that, the party’s activist faction is largely depleted by the withdrawal of key activist Amir Hadi who stepped down from his post as secretary general and the party’s top leadership, citing personal reasons.

Amir said he chose to resign from the Muda leadership to focus on his role as executive director of Mandiri, a youth-based NGO.

Hardly a ringing endorsement of Muda’s future, and it was made worse that he was replaced by Ainie Haziqah, formerly of Bersatu.

As things stand, Muda is waffling over any potential coalition tie-up, following its disastrous collaboration with PSM, which led to a string of lost deposits.

Aside from Syed Saddiq, its other elected official is Puteri Wangsa state representative Amira Aisya Abdul Aziz.

This lady is best known for her closeness to the widow of Tun Daim Zainuddin and lack of presence in her own state constituency.

She won her seat at a time when Muda was allied to Pakatan Harapan but now former allies AMANAH and PKR are fighting over who will take over her seat.

It is understood that 31 candidates will be vying for 25 posts on the party’s central executive committee (CEC) this weekend.

But let’s be clear, this is not a new beginning or a rejuvenation. It is a death knell for a failed experiment. A party with no future.

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