The movement control order (MCO) seemed to have kept the ugly business of politics in check somewhat. But this week’s lifting of many restrictions seems to have also been an unofficial green light for politics to make a return, with a vengeance.
 
Shenanigans began with news that Semporna MP Shafie Apdal had submitted a notice to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Mohamed Ariff Yusof to initiate a motion for a vote of confidence for former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad when Parliament sits on May 18. The vote was ostensibly to prove Maddey still had the support of the majority of MPs in the House. 
 
The notice, however, was later rejected by Ariff on grounds it was akin to questioning the power of the Agong to appoint a PM, in this case, Muhyiddin Yassin. That led a Sabah Umno man to suggest Shafie should resign as Sabah CM, which is just plain daft. Just imagine if MPs had to resign their posts just cos their notices or motions are rejected! 
 
But that ain’t the end of it. Shafie’s notice was dated May 1. Three days later, Mads himself apparently sent a notice of his own, this time one for a vote of no confidence against Moo. So, the Bersatu chairman has drawn battle lines against his own party president. There has been no word from Ariff, however, about Mahathir’s notice. 
 
In truth, we all know Bersatu is a house divided (ironic, considering the party’s name). Many were not for the split from Pakatan Harapan which eventually led to the Perikatan Nasional agreement with Barisan Nasional and PAS. Mahathir has said before he didn’t want to work with Umno. But the infighting took somewhat of a backseat (or maybe just moved to Zoom?), when Covid-19 began taking over our lives.
 
That all changed again on Wednesday when party Youth chief and Mahathir acolyte Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said the wing rejected any cooperation with Umno, in solidarity with Maddey, and wanted to return to the Pakatan fold. Two thirds of those present at a Youth exco meeting, he said, had voted in favour of this. 
 
Syed Saddiq’s statement led to a whole lot of criticism and counter statements. At least four Bersatu Youth state chapters and two exco members have steered clear of Syed Saddiq’s statement, while nearly 75% of the 191 Youth divisions issued a joint statement saying they would rather stick with the party’s supreme council decision on Feb 23 to withdraw from Pakatan. Meanwhile, the party’s information chief has also issued a warning that party members who fraternised with the opposition would find themselves facing action, including sackings. 
 
Things are also not looking rosy for Bersatu deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir. Maddey Jr. seems to be on his way out as Kedah MB. Obviously, he stands with daddy-o. The problem is most Kedah Bersatu assemblymen are siding with Muhyiddin – and with Umno and PAS waiting in the wings, it comes as no surprise that he may be on borrowed time. In fact, that’s just what state PAS commissioner Ahmad Yahaya says. 
 
On the flip side, all is not well in Perikatan either. Take this story that Umno doesn’t want to formalise the loose coalition. Yeah, it says Umno will still defend the government formed under Moo, but it’s not a good sign when one of the major parties within the pact doesn’t want anything formalised. Umno prez Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, however, says his gang will make known its stand soon, perhaps after he and PAS counterpart Abdul Hadi Awang meet with Muhyiddin. 

All in all, it must be squeaky bum time for Muhyiddin. As it is, his party is a puny one with an outsized influence (largely thanks to the legacy of ex-PM Maddey). But with the infighting, it’s influence no doubt diminishes as its ranks thin. And with its erstwhile allies practicing political social distancing from it – no doubt to ensure they can capitalise on any Bersatu slip-ups – Moo’s footing is far from solid. No wonder he’s doing his best to stay out of Parliament. 
 
But it may be some comfort to him to know there are also problems within PKR, which has recently been on a sacking spree. Wanita PKR deputy chief Daroyah Alwi has hit out against the party leadership for sacking 348 members and suspending another 285, including her boss, Hanizah Talha. She claims it was a move to protect leaders appointed by the president (Anwar Ibrahim), though she doesn’t name these leaders. At least six of those sacked or suspended from the party have also gotten the boot from their positions in local councils in Selangor as well. 

Speaking of Anwar, the former PM-in-waiting is now parliamentary opposition leader. Pakatan had written to both the Dewan Rakyat and the PM’s Office informing them of the decision, apparently arrived at after DAP had declined to nominate one of their own as opposition head honcho. 

So there you have it, folks. Lies, intrigue, backstabbing, betrayal. The stage is slowly being set for May 18.