KUALA LUMPUR, March 26 — Larut MP Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin has been appointed as the new Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia secretary-general, following the sacking of the previous incumbent Datuk Marzuki Yahya from the post.
Party president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced Hamzah’s appointment in a statement today, and said all the duties of the secretary-general as outlined under Bersatu’s constitution should now be carried out by the latter.
“I would like to thank YB Senator Datuk Wira Marzuki Yahya for his service as the secretary-general, and wish YB Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin the best of luck in carrying out his duties,” he said.
Hamzah was formerly with Umno and served in various ministerial positions under then-prime ministers Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Datuk Seri Najib Razak, including as deputy housing and local government minister from 2008 to 2009, deputy foreign minister from 2013 to 2015, and domestic trade, cooperatives and consumerism minister from 2015 to 2018. He is currently the Home Minister in Muhyiddin's Cabinet.
Marzuki, formerly the deputy foreign minister, was sacked on March 18 under Clause 13.9 of the party’s constitution. His removal from the post is linked to his stance as a loyalist for party chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, amid frosty relations between him and Muhyiddin following the latter’s appointment as prime minister early this month.
Dr Mahathir himself opposed Marzuki’s sacking, and wrote a letter to Muhyiddin saying that it went against the party’s constitution, adding that the president’s power to appoint a secretary-general, treasurer and information chief can only be done after discussions with the chairman.
