KUALA LUMPUR – Bersatu deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu is no longer heading Negri Sembilan Perikatan Nasional.
He is replaced by Labu assemblyman Mohamad Hanifah Abu Baker, who is also appointed the state’s Bersatu chief. Hanifah replaces Datuk Abdul Rashid Asari.
Faizal said that the decision on the appointment was made at yesterday’s meeting of the Bersatu supreme council in Kuala Lumpur.
“I believe that the Bersatu divisions will cooperate well with Hanifah in strengthening the party. Most importantly, Bersatu and PN must play a role as an authoritative opposition, always raising people’s issues and trying to improve people’s lives.”
Meanwhile, Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali has replaced Faizal as Selangor Bersatu chief, following yesterday’s supreme council meeting.
While there are no changes in Bersatu’s top leadership, party secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said the new appointments in its supreme council and others were to revitalise the party.
“In arranging concrete steps forward, the supreme council will unanimously continue (the party’s) struggle under the leadership of president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
“At the same time, Bersatu appointed three new supreme council members, Padang Serai MP Datuk Azman Nasrudin, Taman Medan assemblyman Dr Afif Bahardin and Srikandi assistant secretary Datuk Nolee Ashilin Mohammed Radzi,” he said in a statement today.
Azman was also appointed to head the party’s education bureau.
Other appointments include Putrajaya MP Datuk Radzi Jidin (economy), Indera Makhota MP Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah (international affairs), Tasek Gelugor MP Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan (training), and Fadzillah Mohd Pilus as its disciplinary board’s chairman.
Hamzah also said the supreme council decided to take legal action against any elected representatives who had betrayed the party, aimed at having them vacate their seats.
He added that the party was ready to face any by-elections.
Yesterday, Wan Saiful called on Bersatu to reflect on and admit the existence of internal problems following a number of opposition MPs declaring support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s leadership.
The sixth and latest Bersatu MP to declare support for Anwar was Tg Karang MP Datuk Dr Zulkafperi Hanapi.
The five other Bersatu MPs who stated their backing of Anwar’s administration in the span of a few months last year are Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar), Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan), Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang), Zahari Kechik (Jeli) and Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang).
Syed Abu Hussin has since repeatedly claimed that more Bersatu lawmakers would jump ship to support Anwar, asserting that such moves would take place before Parliament convenes on February 26. – January 29, 2024