This is the 2nd part of 3-story series. You can read the first part here
KUALA LUMPUR: Fresh from their sacking by Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), the oldest ever prime minister in the country and the youngest ever cabinet minister are forming their respective political parties to continue pursuing their agenda.
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman have both formed their own political parties – one called Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang), started by Mahathir, and another by Syed Saddiq called Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda).
The formation of splinter parties can be traced back to Umno, one of the longest surviving political parties in the history of Semenanjung Malaysia.
Below are the splinter parties that emerged from Umno:
Below is a timeline and list of parties that emerged as offshoots:
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia political analyst Azmi Hassan said the survival of a political party in Malaysia depends on a strong organisational structure or grassroots support, as opposed to relying on the cult of personalities.
"So when these few leaders leave, the party will still be intact. Umno remains strong despite Onn Jaafar and Tengku Razaleigh leaving because the grassroots did not follow suit," he told The Vibes.
However, he said the same cannot be said about a new party like Bersatu, which does not have strong grassroots support, and remains heavily dependent on leaders with charisma.
“Looking at Umno, PAS and DAP, which are synonymous to Malaysian politics, it is not the leaders that determine its survival and relevance, but grassroots support," he said. - The Vibes, September 18, 2020
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