TAPAH: A Perikatan Nasional-Barisan Nasional Perak government would have been stronger had they allied together, says Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin.
The Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) deputy president said there would have been 35 state seats, comprising 26 state seats from Perikatan and nine from Barisan.
"We would have a bigger voice, a bigger majority and we can plan according to the right agenda," he said in a press conference after visiting folk in Kampung Tersusun Haji Tahir in Temoh here on Thursday (April 14).
"Whatever the people wanted, we can fight for it," he said, adding that Barisan, previously with nine state seats, was just a minority in the current state government.
"That should have been considered by the Mentri Besar, not just because after being asked to hold on to the post, he forgets his responsibility to the betterment of the people," he added.
Hamzah also denied that there were rifts within Perak Bersatu following the proposal by state Bersatu chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu to change the seating arrangement of state assemblymen in the state legislative assembly, following the suspension of Opposition leader Razman Zakaria.
The Larut MP said he had met and discussed with Ahmad Faizal and also Datuk Zainol Fadzi Paharuddin and found no problems.
"After a party election, there are bound to be changes.
"When we make changes, it is for the good of the party, not the individual," he said.
"Just like in Parliament, we change the sitting arrangement based on the posts they hold in their respective parties.
"There are no issues, just that some people are trying to divide us," he said.
Ahmad Faizal had reportedly requested the Perak State Speaker to swap Sungai Manik assemblyman Datuk Zainol Fadzi Paharudin’s seat with Bersatu’s Changkat Jong representative, Nadziruddin Mohamed Bandi.
This was due to Zainol Fadzi having been elected as the party's supreme council member while Nadziruddin has taken up the former's post as the state party secretary.
Razman, the Gunung Semanggol assemblyman, was suspended from the state assembly for six months, effective immediately on April 16.
