I didn’t know Tok Pa left Bersatu, says Muhyiddin

News of former Jeli MP Mustapa Mohamed’s (left) departure from Bersatu caught party president Muhyiddin Yassin by surprise.

PETALING JAYA: Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin says he did not know that former economic affairs minister Mustapa Mohamed had left the party after retiring from politics.

Muhyiddin, the Perikatan Nasional chairman, said he respected the decision by the former Jeli MP but stated his belief that Mustapa, known as Tok Pa, was still a popular figure among voters.

“I’ve just heard, I read the news reports that he’s no longer a Bersatu member. I wasn’t notified why. But it’s fine, Mustapa is a friend of mine,” he said, according to Berita Harian.

Muhyiddin seemed to hold out hope that Mustapa would help PN’s campaigns in future by-elections, saying the former Umno man could still work with Bersatu. Mustapa left Umno and joined Bersatu in 2018.

He also believed that Mustapa did not plan on joining any other party but simply left Bersatu to make a full exit from politics.

Yesterday, FMT reported Kelantan Bersatu as saying it was prepared to field Mustapa and make way for former Umno secretary-general Annuar Musa in anticipation of possible by-elections for the Gua Musang and Jeli parliamentary seats.

However, Mustapa ruled this out, saying he had “retired” from politics and was no longer a member of Bersatu since Sept 30 last year.

Mustapa decided not to defend his Jeli parliamentary seat at the 2022 general election and his Air Lanas state seat in the state assembly elections last year.

Bersatu to stand in Nenggiri

Muhyiddin said a Bersatu candidate will represent PN in the Aug 17 by-election for the Nenggiri state seat in Kelantan.

He said the PN top leadership agreed to this since the seat was won by a Bersatu representative, Azizi Abu Naim, at last year’s state elections.