PETALING JAYA: Opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin (pic), three other MPs and two state assemblymen were among 17 Bersatu members who have been sacked in a shocking move.
The Bersatu disciplinary board, which met on Thursday, made the decision to sack them.
Board chairman Datuk Mohd Radzi Manan said yesterday that Larut MP Hamzah, who is also deputy president, was dismissed under the Clause 22.5 of the party’s constitution.
Besides Hamzah, the others MPs expelled were Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal (Machang), Kapt Azahari Hasan (Padang Rengas) and Fathul Huzir Ayob (Gerik).
Wan Ahmad Fayhsal had been suspended earlier.
The state assemblymen sacked were Dr Yadzil Yaakub (Bemban, Melaka) and Datuk Zainol Fadzi Paharudin (Sungai Manik, Perak).
“The matter was decided during the disciplinary board meeting on Thursday.
“The dismissal is due to the actions of Datuk Seri violating Clause 9.1.4 of the Bersatu constitution,” Mohd Radzi said in the notice issued yesterday.
Clause 9.1.4 emphasises compliance with the party constitution and the members’ code of ethics and conduct regulations.
The sacked 17, who were named in a letter sighted by The Star, have the right to submit an appeal to the party’s Appeals Board within 14 days.
Bersatu secretary-general Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali said the party’s top leadership had been informed of Hamzah’s sacking.
“The supreme council has been informed the disciplinary board has decided Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin has been expelled from the party and stripped of his membership rights under Clause 22.5, effective Feb 13,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Prior to the mass dismissal, Bersatu also expelled Tasek Gelugor MP Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan and Indera Mahkota MP Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah in October last year and in January, respectively.
The Malay-based party has seen a leadership tussle between Hamzah and party president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for months, leading to an internal conflict.
Internal conflicts in Bersatu have begun to intensify recently as division leaders reportedly gathered to support Hamzah and demanded the resignation of Muhyiddin as president.
Wan Fayhsal, Azahari and Fathul were reportedly among 16 Bersatu MPs who supported party vice-president Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee’s call for Muhyiddin, who is also the Pagoh MP, to step down to make way for Hamzah.
They had planned a gathering today, allegedly involving 120 of the party’s 202 division leaders.
Hamzah did not attend the disciplinary board hearing on Thursday as he was away in Australia.
More than a dozen party leaders were also absent during the hearing.
All of them had been accused of sabotaging the party and attempting to oust Muhyiddin during the last general assembly and replace him with Hamzah.
