Mazlan Bujang, former Johor Bersatu chairman, declares support for BN

Malaysia – Mazlan Bujang formally resigned from the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) today, thereby resigning from all of his party positions, including his position as the party’s Tebrau division chairman, with effect immediately.

Twenty-three other Bersatu branch leaders and committee members from the party’s Tebrau division joined him in resigning their positions.

As the current Puteri Wangsa assemblyman and former Johor Bersatu chairman, Mazlan claimed he has not yet joined another political party, but has declared his support for the ruling Barisan Nasional party (BN).

According to him, leaving Bersatu was not an easy choice for him to make, but it was one that he took after carefully considering the many issues he had encountered.

During a special media conference held at the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex at the Johor Heritage Foundation Building, Mazlan said that he had chosen to quit the party with immediate effect, including his elected position as the Tebrau Bersatu division chairman.

Mazlan, a longtime Bersatu leader and well-known supporter of Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, was anticipated to announce his resignation, after a deterioration in his relationship with the party’s leadership over the previous several months.

Having expressed his dissatisfaction with Bersatu President Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the former prime minister of Malaysia, since last year, he has been more outspoken.

Mazlan, on the other hand, did not go so far as to say that he would be returning to Umno.

The rumors was abuzz with speculation that the 57-year-old outspoken politician will re-join Umno, presumably under the Tebrau division led by his brother, Maulizan Bujang.

Mazlan went on to say that his decision to quit Bersatu was motivated by the need for Johor to build a stable state administration under the leadership of caretaker mentri besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad, who is a member of the Umno political party.

As part of his appeal, he urged all Bersatu members and supporters to engage in self-reflection before endorsing Hasni and the BN in the next Johor state election.

Mazlan, who had been a member of the state executive committee, had remained with Bersatu and had been appointed to lead the party’s state chapter following the downfall of the PH government during the Sheraton Move protests in February 2020.

He was a member of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) and the Barisan Nasional (BN) state administrations, which were headed by Umno’s Hasni.

Despite his strained relationship with Muhyiddin, who was then prime minister, Mazlan continued to serve as the state’s elected education, information, heritage, and culture portfolio executive despite the fact that he had been appointed by the state.

On January 20, according to reports, Mazlan said that he was prepared to contemplate resigning from politics in the event that the state election in Johor was conducted.

Following that, there were rumors that he would be leaving Bersatu in the near future.