SHAH ALAM – Former private secretary to Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Datuk Dr Marzuki Mohamad, has alleged that Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin used Pas and Umno as tools to create divisions within Bersatu, in a bid to take over the party from Muhyiddin.
He said that the move was allegedly aimed at allowing Hamzah to secure the positions of Bersatu president and Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman without contesting.
“The objective is simple, for the positions of Bersatu president and PN chairman to be handed to him on a silver platter. This is the root cause of the division within Bersatu and now within PN.
“He was sacked not because he sought Malay unity, but because he was the cause of division,” he said in a Facebook post on Thursday.
Marzuki claimed that efforts to pressure Muhyiddin to step down were carried out by influencing Bersatu division chiefs through a signature-gathering campaign.
“It is easier to ‘influence’ 120 division chiefs than to gain the support of thousands of delegates across all divisions during party elections,” he said.
He further alleged that Hamzah used two key narratives, that he had the backing of Pas president to oust Muhyiddin and that he was working on a collaboration between Bersatu, Pas and Umno to form a government.
“These were the two main selling points used by Hamzah to convince division chiefs to support his move to topple Muhyiddin.
“Hamzah knew that the division chiefs who followed him would believe whatever he said,” he added.
Marzuki also pointed out that Hamzah previously held no significant position in Bersatu until he was appointed secretary-general by Muhyiddin and later supported to become deputy president.
He noted that Hamzah won the deputy presidency uncontested after Muhyiddin persuaded Ahmad Faizal Azumu to contest for a vice-president post instead.
“The role of the deputy president, according to Bersatu’s constitution, is to assist the president. But Hamzah not only failed to assist, he openly led efforts to bring down the president soon after being confirmed in the role,” he said.
He also claimed that Hamzah did not challenge Muhyiddin in party elections because he knew grassroots support for the president remained strong.
“Instead, he chose to persuade Muhyiddin to initiate a transition plan with himself named as deputy president.
“Under Bersatu’s constitution, when the president steps down, the deputy president assumes the role. That is what he wanted – to become deputy president without contest, then pressure Muhyiddin to resign,” he added.
Marzuki said Hamzah would then have the opportunity to become acting president of Bersatu following Muhyiddin’s resignation, before being appointed PN chairman with the backing of Pas and other coalition parties.
“Without having to contest, he would obtain the positions of Bersatu president and PN chairman on a silver platter,” he claimed.