Not sacked, but memberships ‘stopped’, says Bersatu sec-gen

Updated 3 years ago · Published on 29 May 2020 6:54PM · 8 Comments

Bersatu secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin says no member is above the party constitution. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Afif Abd Halim, May 29, 2020.

DR Mahathir Mohamad and four other MPs have not been sacked by Bersatu, but instead, had their memberships “stopped”, said secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin.

“They were informed that their memberships were stopped in accordance with Articles 10.2.2 and 10.2.3.

“I wish to stress that the five were not sacked by the party, but had their memberships stopped in accordance with the party constitution,” he said in a statement today.

Hamzah, who was appointed to the post by Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin in March to replace the Dr Mahathir-aligned Marzuki Yahya, issued the statement to clarify the episode yesterday that saw the five leaders being issued “termination” letters.

The statement accompanies his press conference on the matter, which was originally scheduled for 4pm at the Bersatu headquarters in Petaling Jaya, but then moved to Sofitel Hotel when news broke that Dr Mahathir would make a surprise appearance at the party’s office, where the former prime minister gave a brief presser.

Hamzah’s press conference was then moved back to the Bersatu headquarters after Dr Mahathir left.

In the statement, the Larut MP said nobody is above the party constitution.

“We’ve received many complaints about Dr Mahathir. Among them is him insisting on being with Pakatan Harapan after Muhyiddin formed a new government under Perikatan Nasional.

“On May 4, Dr Mahathir issued a joint statement with PH, asking for a longer Parliament sitting.”

Other complaints include Dr Mahathir’s attempt to table a no-confidence motion against Muhyiddin and his May 18 press conference, where he said his goal is to bring down the prime minister, said Hamzah.

“In this regard, Bersatu’s disciplinary board chairman, Megat Najmuddin, informed me that there was no need to convene a disciplinary hearing, as their memberships have stopped in accordance with the constitution.”

Yesterday, Bersatu founder and Langkawi MP Dr Mahathir, deputy president and Jerlun MP Mukhriz Mahathir, youth chief and Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, supreme council member and Simpang Renggam MP Maszlee Malik and Kubang Pasu MP Amiruddin Hamzah were informed of their memberships’ termination following their decision to sit on the opposition bench during the May 18 Parliament session.

Letters to the five cited Articles 10.2.2 and 10.2.3 of the Bersatu charter, which state that members will automatically lose their memberships if they announce they are quitting the party or join another. However, none of the five has done either.

The letters were issued by organising secretary Muhammad Suhaimi Yahya, whose authority to issue such notices is questioned by Dr Mahathir.

Marzuki has since issued a letter to Suhaimi, removing him as organising secretary. Dr Mahathir’s faction has appointed Sazmi Miah to the post. – May 29, 2020.

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Comments

  • If you feel strongly that you are in the right why cant you face Tun and tell him directly. Why the need to play hide and seek with a 95 year old. Unless of course you are gutless. And that is Not the characteristic that will endear you to The public

    Posted 3 years ago by Michael Raj · Reply

  • It cannot just stop.They did not leave the party. Bangang

    Posted 3 years ago by Penganalisa L · Reply

  • Hamzah, please make up your mind. Don't tell us tomorrow that it was a sacking

    Posted 3 years ago by Vincent Chan · Reply

  • Nonsense.

    Posted 3 years ago by Mohammad Badry · Reply

  • This guy is PeNakut (coward). Didn't even dare to meet Tun face to face

    Posted 3 years ago by Azman Daud · Reply

  • Where got such a thing as membership stopped.

    Posted 3 years ago by Elyse Gim · Reply

  • Certainly desperate enough to resort to this dubious way of removing members. First of its kind as far as I remember. Looks like legally they don't have solid grounds enough to just sack them using the due process of the law. Cowardly it would seem

    Posted 3 years ago by Mike Mok · Reply

  • Hello Hanzah, do you think your party membership is like a clock! Bateri mati, jam berhenti ?

    Posted 3 years ago by Chee yee ng · Reply