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DATUK Seri Hamzah Zainudin is accused of using PAS and Umno to divide Bersatu and take over the leadership of the party from Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
Muhyiddin's former private secretary, Datuk Dr Marzuki Mohamad, said the move was aimed at toppling the Bersatu president, appointing him as acting president.
According to him, Hamzah, who is also a former deputy president, refused to contest for the president's position from Muhyiddin in the party election because support for the Pagoh MP was still strong.
Instead, he said Hamzah is said to have persuaded Muhyiddin to work on a party transition plan, with the former opposition leader being named deputy president.
This is because the Bersatu constitution stipulates that the deputy president acts as the president when the president resigns.
"Become deputy president uncontested, then pressure Muhyiddin to resign. After Muhyiddin resigns, Hamzah becomes the acting president of Bersatu.
"With the support of Pas and Perikatan Nasional (PN) component parties, he would be appointed chairman of PN, all without having to contest," he said as reported by Berita Harian.
It was earlier reported that Hamzah was sacked from Bersatu with immediate effect for allegedly violating Clause 9.1.4 following a decision by the party's disciplinary board in accordance with Clause 22.5 of the party constitution.
Marzuki explained that Hamzah originally had no position in Bersatu until Muhyiddin appointed him as secretary-general, then endorsed him as deputy president.
Marzuki added that in an effort to push for Muhyiddin's resignation, Hamzah implemented his plan by influencing Bersatu division leaders through a signature collection campaign.
"It is easier to 'influence' 120 Bersatu division leaders than to gain the support of thousands of delegates in all divisions in the party elections," said the former deputy foreign minister.
Marzuki said that Hamzah was said to be trying to influence Bersatu division leaders, using the claim that he was supported by PAS President Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang to bring down Muhyiddin.
He claimed that Hamzah was, among other things, said to be working on a Bersatu-PAS-Umno collaboration to form a government on the condition that Muhyiddin had to be removed before the collaboration could be implemented.
He claimed that the condition was set by Umno President Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, but was denied after he checked with several senior party leaders.
"There are no such conditions. In fact, they told me, Umno does not trust Hamzah,” he added. – May 28, 2026
