Perikatan is still intact, says Hamzah

Stating the facts: Hamzah speaking to reporters after the Perikatan Nasional Ceramah Perdana in Tambunan, Sabah. — ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE/The Star

KOTA KINABALU: Perikatan Nasional stays intact despite allegations that some of its MPs have switched to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s camp, says its secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin.

He described the PKR president’s claim as nothing but a gimmick he tends to pull in September.

Hamzah said this in reference to Anwar’s announcement on Wednesday that he had majority support to be prime minister, as well as a similar claim he made in September 2008.

Hamzah, who is also Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia secretary-general, said there was no reason to question Bersatu members in particular as they were all working with their president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

He said other members in Perikatan, including some Umno members and PAS, were doubtful of Anwar’s latest claim.

“We have many coalition partners. Many deny being with Anwar which shows that this is a gimmick, ” he said.

“Many who are said to be on Anwar’s so-called list said their names are not supposed to be on it. Even PAS said no when we checked with them and they are seeking clarification because if it were true that some Umno members would join Anwar, they will leave Muafakat Nasional, ” he said, adding that people should stop speculating about Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s absence at a ceramah in Petagas on Thursday as a sign that trouble was brewing on the Barisan Nasional front.

He said if the Umno president withdrew his support for Perikatan, he would not have let leaders like Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah deputy president Arthur Joseph Kurup speak.