PUTRAJAYA: The exit of Datuk Mohamaddin Ketapi from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia is still not official, says party secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin.
Hamzah said he and Mohamaddin are expected to meet up soon to discuss the abrupt resignation, which comes just six months after the Lahad Datu MP joined the party.
“I did receive a text from him this morning. He said he wants to see me. So we will meet up and talk.
“But the party has not received any official notification of his resignation so far,” Hamzah told reporters yesterday.
Hamzah declined to reveal if Bersatu would accept or reject Mohamaddin’s resignation.
Earlier yesterday in Kota Kinabalu, Mohamaddin announced that he was quitting Bersatu to become independent, citing frustrations with the party.
He claimed that he had been sidelined by Bersatu and was not “given any role” since he joined the party on Nov 26.
The former Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister was elected as Lahad Datu MP and Segama assemblyman in the 14th General Election when he was a member of Parti Warisan Sabah.
Mohamaddin, however, quit Warisan in October last year, before joining Bersatu the following month.
Meanwhile, Hamzah declined to comment on Pasir Salak MP Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman’s removal as Umno supreme council member.
“Why would I, as Bersatu secretary-general, have anything to say about this?” said Hamzah, who is also Home Minister.
He spoke to the press after attending an appreciation ceremony of the Covid-19 SOP Enforcement and Compliance Coordination Committee at his ministry.
At the event, Hamzah thanked all 32 government agencies who helped to enforce Covid-19 standard operating procedure compliance throughout the pandemic.
“The enforcement of the SOP was only a success because of the strong cooperation between all parties involved,” he said.
He added that throughout the pandemic, more than five million premises had been checked under “Ops Patuh” – with 13,143 compounds issued for SOP violations and 6,383 premises ordered to shut down.
Now that Malaysia is transitioning into the endemic phase, Hamzah said the police will continue monitoring SOP compliance among the public, but enforcement will be more on advocacy.
