Santhara will, however, remain a Bersatu member and continue to back Muhyiddin’s leadership, a source told FMT.

According to the source, Muhyiddin had accepted the Segamat MP’s decision following a meeting between the two.

“An official statement will be issued by the party,” the source said.

The source added that Santhara’s deputy, Chong Fat Full, would be the acting chairman.

“Muhyiddin has agreed to this.”

Santhara, formerly of PKR, was made the head of Bersatu’s associate wing in September 2021, a year after becoming the first non-Bumiputera MP to join the party.

On Monday, Chong said Santhara told him he was stepping down from the post because he wanted to focus on his constituency ahead of the general election.

On July 22, a political source told FMT that Santhara had quit Bersatu and had submitted a letter to party secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin a week earlier.

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