Batu Gajah PPBM committee leaves party
BATU GAJAH: Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) Batu Gajah division is the latest group to join the list of members who have left the party, after clashing with the state leadership.
With the departure of its committee members, the division is the fifth to cease operation in Perak after Gopeng, Kuala Kangsar, Parit and Teluk Intan.
Batu Gajah divisional committee chief Mohd Shirin Adenan said the resignation of the division’s 18 committee members would mean its closure with immediate effect.
He said leaders from six more divisions may follow suit.
Citing the lack of confidence in the party’s state leadership, Shirin said the 24 divisional committee chiefs had been sidelined in decision-making.
“We were not consulted prior to the organisation of party programmes and the state chairman, Ahmad Faizal Azumu, did not touch base with the grassroots.
“The way he handles things is different from Datuk Hamidah Osman (former PPBM vice-president), who was one of the founders of PPBM in Perak.
“She would call us for meetings and kept us informed of the party affairs.”
Shirin said party members demanded clarification on issues, including the use of the name Armada for PPBM’s Youth wing.
“The Registrar of Societies had recently pointed out that Armada was not included in the party constitution.
“This has caused confusion among members, who want an explanation as the offence could cause the party to be de-registered.
“Unfortunately, nothing was conveyed to us. We were left in the dark and we could not give satisfactory explanation to members.
“I have met more than 1,000 members whom I had registered under the division and most of them told me that they might also leave the party,” he said, adding that he would not join another political party.
Faizal said a state PPBM leadership meeting would be held next week to discuss the matter, as well as the party election machinery.
On the resignation of the Batu Gajah division committee members, he said: “I’m sad to hear of their decision.
“I spoke to Shirin last night (Monday) and he told me it was a crazy idea for him to leave PPBM.
In Putrajaya, PPBM gave its statement here to the Registrar of Societies, which is probing complaints about the party failing to comply with its own constitution.
PPBM secretary-general Datuk Dr Shahruddin Md Salleh, who represented the party at the RoS headquarters here yesterday, gave his statement in connection with the complaints lodged by members of several divions in Johor.