Hamzah claims lack of sincerity behind unity push led to his expulsion

KUALA LUMPUR - Opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin has alleged that insincerity among certain parties in efforts to unite Malay political forces under a “big umbrella” contributed to his expulsion from Bersatu.

Hamzah said in fact, during a meeting chaired by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, he was entrusted to lead a committee aimed at bringing together Malay leaders.

“So it was not wrong for me to meet the Umno president (Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi), but I was expelled for meeting him.

“This means that the mentality of that person (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin) is ‘No!’.You cannot choose an umbrella. It should not be like that.

“It means you are not sincere. My concept is sincerity in ensuring that anyone who needs that umbrella should be given it,” he said.

Muhyiddin had earlier stated that Hamzah’s expulsion was partly due to alleged negotiations with Umno conducted without the party’s knowledge.

Despite this, Pas president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang defended Hamzah’s decision to meet Zahid in Bangkok, Thailand.

Hamzah maintained that the location was chosen based on practicality and mutual convenience.

“I am the Opposition leader. Sometimes when you are the Opposition leader, you do not think only about yourself, we also have to consider the person we want to meet.

“So we have to be fair to all parties. I can meet anywhere, but the person I want to meet may feel that there are places that are more suitable for us. That is what happened in Bangkok,” he explained.