SHAH ALAM - Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) making changes in the Selangor and Negeri Sembilan leadership are seen as an effort to strengthen the party.
Its secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said Negeri Sembilan, previously led by deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu will be replaced by Mohamad Hanifah Abu Bakar while Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali will lead Selangor replacing Datuk Abdul Rashid Asari.
He added that in the Bersatu Supreme Leadership Council (MPT) special meeting on Sunday, three new MPT members were appointed. They are Padang Serai MP Datuk Azman Nasrudin, Taman Medan assemblyman Dr Afif Bahardin and Srikandi assistant secretary Datuk Nolee Ashilin Mohammed Radzi.
"Appointments of new bureau chairmen have also been announced, namely Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin (Economic Bureau), Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah (International Bureau), Datuk Azman Nasrudin (Education Bureau) and Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan (Training Bureau).
"Fadzillah Mohd Pilus has been appointed as the new chairman of the disciplinary board," he said in a statement on Monday.
Hamzah added that in the meeting. they also agreed to take legal action against any elected representatives who betrayed the party by vacating seats, and Bersatu was ready to face by-elections.
In line with this firm stance, he said, the MPT also agreed to amend Article 10 of the Bersatu Constitution to prevent similar incidents from recurring in the future.
"In formulating concrete steps forward, the MPT also unanimously agreed to continue the struggle under the leadership of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as president.
"This is not only in the context of empowering the party as a whole but also to appear more credible, firm and courageous in combating malicious slander and the tyranny of the Anwar Ibrahim-led government," he said.