Bersatu duo relieved of roles in PN

KUALA LUMPUR: Two Bersatu leaders were relieved of their positions in Perikatan Nasional tonight.

PN chairman Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar said the coalition’s deputy secretary-general, Azmin Ali, has been relieved of his duties, while PAS election director Sanusi Nor would replace Bersatu vice-president Radzi Jidin as PN election director.

In a statement, PAS vice-president Samsuri said the move was made in view of the upcoming Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections.

He said Sanusi’s former position as PN treasurer would now be taken up by Malaysian Indian People’s Party deputy president S Subramaniam.

Samsuri did not name a replacement for Azmin.

Meanwhile, Pendang MP Awang Hashim said that the restructuring was not raised during the meeting among opposition MPs at PAS’s headquarters tonight.

“The changes in positions was not brought up during the meeting. That is a separate matter concerning PN’s administration,” he told FMT.

Samsuri’s announcement comes amid uncertainty over PN’s future following the breakdown of political cooperation between PAS and Bersatu, its two key components.

PAS cut ties with Bersatu last week, stating that the party had become power-hungry and was no longer prioritising Malay-Muslim unity.

Bersatu has since pledged to go all-out against PAS in the upcoming Johor and Negeri Sembilan state polls, while insisting that it will contest under the PN banner.

PAS vice-president Amar Abdullah has said that Bersatu must exit PN if it intends to contest against PAS in the state elections.

The Johor state election will be held on July 11, and the Negeri Sembilan polls on Aug 1.