Bersatu sec-gen claims Dr M wanted options on how to exit Harapan

Bersatu secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin today claimed that former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad had on several occasions informed party leaders to find ways for Bersatu to exit Harapan.

"I did not act to break apart the party but only based on what Tun (Mahathir) had asked.

"[...] there were several things that he asked me to do," said Hamzah at a joint press conference called less than 24 hours after it was revealed that Mahathir's status as a Bersatu member had been nullified.

He said this when asked for comments on claims that he had backed a plot to remove Mahathir and his supporters from Bersatu and break the party apart.

Hamzah said Mahathir's request was communicated to the party leaders including his son Mukhriz Mahathir, Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin and Perak Menteri Besar Faizal Azumu during meetings held at his house.

"'We want to find ways how Bersatu can leave Harapan'. That was a request (from Mahathir) so I said okay, we will do it together," he said.

"The rest is history when Tun himself announced his resignation," said Hamzah who was joined by Bersatu leaders aligned to Muhyiddin including Rina Harun and Radzi Jidin at the party headquarters in Petaling Jaya.

Hamzah further stressed that he had left Umno to join Bersatu upon Mahathir's invitation and had always acted based on instructions by the former Harapan chairperson.

"His intention at the time was to strengthen Bersatu and I had agreed. My friends also agreed.

"He asked me not only to strengthen Bersatu but also to reduce the rakyat's confidence towards DAP," said the home minister who previously also held deputy minister positions during BN's administration.

Earlier this month, Bersatu sources had claimed of an alleged plot to remove Mahathir and Mukhriz from the party, said to be led by a senior party leader believed to be Hamzah.

Bersatu remains split as Mahathir, along with Mukhriz, Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, Kubang Pasu MP Amiruddin Hamzah and Simpang Renggam MP Maszlee Malik had all maintained that they are still Bersatu members.

Since last night, grassroots leaders and members who remain aligned to Mahathir had also insisted that the nullification of their membership status was invalid.

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