KUALA LUMPUR – Bersatu information chief Datuk Razali Idris has defended party secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin’s absence from the Chinese New Year open house organised by Perikatan Nasional (PN) today, insisting that the latter was not snubbing the event.
Razali said that similar to Hamzah, he was also unable to attend the event at Gerakan’s headquarters in Cheras, due to a pre-arranged programme in Terengganu.
He said Hamzah also had prior commitments preventing his attendance at the event.
Razali also moved to brush aside speculations on the matter, saying that there was no issue of division within the party.
“I have a programme that has been planned for a long time, and I believe that DS (Datuk Seri) Hamzah is in the same situation because, as the leader of the opposition, he has tasks that cannot be abandoned,” he told Scoop.
Razali urged all parties to focus on current issues concerning the general population rather than speculating about internal divisions within Bersatu.
The absence of several Bersatu leaders, including Hamzah, was noticeable at the PN Chinese New Year open house, leading to various speculations, especially considering past issues related to alleged internal divisions.
The party was said to be separated with one faction supporting president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, and another faction backing Hamzah.
However, Pendang MP, Datuk Awang Hashim told Scoop that Hamzah is presently undergoing medical treatment and is expected to return home tomorrow, without disclosing further details about the nature of the illness.
Bersatu had previously denied claims of a split within the party, attributing such rumours to attempts by external forces to undermine the party’s integrity. – February 10, 2024