Malaysian opposition leader Hamzah sacked from Bersatu amid party infighting

PETALING JAYA - Malaysian opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin has been sacked from his party Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, effective immediately.

Bersatu disciplinary board chairman Mohd Radzi Manan said in a notice issued on Feb 13 that the matter had been decided during the board meeting on Feb 12.

He said the board had decided that Datuk Seri Hamzah be dismissed from his membership rights in the party under Clause 22.5, effective from Feb 13.

Mr Hamzah, who was Bersatu’s deputy president, may appeal against his sacking.

Bersatu secretary-general Azmin Ali said the party’s top leadership was informed about the termination.

The party’s Perikatan Nasional coalition partner Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) said its leadership was shocked by the sacking.

“This decision by Bersatu comes as a shock to us and PAS hopes that the internal strife in Bersatu can be resolved as soon as possible,” PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said of the development.

Another 16 party members, including three Members of Parliament and two state assemblymen, were later sacked by the party’s disciplinary board.

A confirmed list of expelled members was issued on Feb 13 notifying that the board had received a written complaint from a Bersatu member against the 17 members.

Internal conflict within the Malaysian opposition party had been expected to escalate this weekend as division leaders reportedly gather to support Mr Hamzah and demand the resignation of party president Muhyiddin Yassin.

The gathering, scheduled for Feb 14, allegedly involves 120 out of the party’s 202 division leaders nationwide.

This follows Mr Hamzah’s return from Australia after he did not attend a party disciplinary board hearing on Feb 12.

Mr Hamzah was accused of sabotaging the party and attempting to oust Muhyiddin during the last general assembly.

“There will be a gathering of 120 division leaders in support of Hamzah to pressure Muhyiddin to step down.

“Hamzah is also expected to hold a press conference on Feb 15,” a party source claimed.

The rift between the two leaders had deepened in recent months.

While Mr Hamzah’s camp previously claimed to have secured 120 statutory declarations (SDs) against Muhyiddin, those documents were never made public.

Some party leaders remain sceptical of the numbers.

One unnamed official remarked: “We are still waiting for the 120 SDs from the last assembly; 120 seems to be their magic number.”

Adding to the tension, Tasek Gelugor MP Wan Saiful Wan Jan posted a screenshot on Feb 13 allegedly showing that 16 Bersatu MPs have signed an SD backing Mr Hamzah for the presidency.

The list of MPs reportedly includes Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah, Mr Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal, and Datuk Seri Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz, among others.

This follows a statement from party vice-president Ronald Kiandee, who accused the leadership of abusing disciplinary procedures and called for Muhyiddin’s resignation to restore trust within Bersatu and the Perikatan Nasional coalition. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK