KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 16 — Former Kuala Pilah MP Datuk Eddin Syazlee Shith has called for a leadership change in his party Bersatu, ahead of its general assembly in Shah Alam, Selangor next week.

Alleging a “void” in the federal Opposition party led by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Eddin wants the change to happen before the 16th general election due by 2027, news portal Free Malaysia Today reported this morning.

“I see that many leaders in Bersatu like our secretary-general may be capable of making improvements to the party.

“But there has to be order if we want to initiate change. It doesn’t strictly mean that the secretary-general should replace the president, but there must be some sort of formula,” Eddin, a Bersatu supreme council member, was quoted as saying.

The party secretary-general is Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin who is also Opposition leader in Parliament, a position that has conventionally been held by the head of the federal Opposition bloc — in this case, would be Muhyiddin as chairman of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, of which Bersatu is a component.

According to the news portal, Eddin did not name which Bersatu leader to be replaced and with whom, or elaborate on what areas in the party are in need of “improvements” but mentioned the recent four Bersatu MPs who switched their support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Starting last month, Kuala Kangsar MP Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul, Labuan MP Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman, Gua Musang MP Mohd Azizi Abu Naim, and Jeli MP Zahari Kechik have declared their support for Anwar who is from rival Pakatan Harapan, with at least one other Bersatu federal lawmaker — Bukit Gantang MP Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal — indicating he may also switch support in order to get federal funds for his constituency.

“If we only think about ourselves... we will fail to see our weaknesses but it will be on display for everyone around us to see. We have to accept that reality,” Eddin told the news portal.

The former Negeri Sembilan PN chief further stated that the party’s top leadership should utilise its general assembly next week to listen and respond to the concerns expressed by grassroots members.

Bersatu will be holding its annual general meeting at the Ideal Convention Centre in Shah Alam from November 23 to 25, after delaying it due to the six-state elections in August.