I’ll only contest Bersatu polls if I’m needed, says Redzuan

Bersatu Supreme Council member Redzuan Yusof said the party needs to be strengthened, especially at its grassroots level.

PETALING JAYA: Bersatu Supreme Council member Redzuan Yusof says he will only take part in this year’s party polls if he is still needed by the party.

Bersatu is expected to hold elections for its Supreme Council and division leaders this year, after having postponed them for 18 months, with the posts for president and deputy president being the “hot seats”.

“We’ll see how it goes. I’ll contest if I’m needed,” Redzuan told FMT.

“If I see that Bersatu no longer needs old faces, then I need to decide whether to retire or not.”

Redzuan said he personally felt that Bersatu needs to strengthen the party, especially at its grassroots level.

“Let the grassroots shape the party’s leadership. When there’s this connection with the party, it’s easier for the grassroots to understand the party’s struggle,” he said.

“But if there’s a disconnect, it will be challenging to strengthen the party.”

At Bersatu’s annual general assembly last November, party president Muhyiddin Yassin announced that he would not defend the top post at the upcoming elections.

Speculation was rife then that Bersatu secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin, who is the opposition leader, would succeed Muhyiddin.

However, the former prime minister then backtracked on his decision.

Bersatu deputy president Ahmad Faizal Azumu recently confirmed that he will not vie for the post of president, and expressed his full support for Muhyiddin.

The Bersatu president is likely to be Perikatan Nasional’s prime ministerial candidate in the next general election.