KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 15 — PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said today his party “sympathises” with the Bersatu MPs who were expelled for urging their party president to step down, a move that has now thrown Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin’s position as Opposition Leader into question.

Tuan Ibrahim confirmed that Perikatan Nasional (PN) will discuss the issue of the Opposition Leader soon, following Hamzah’s sacking from Bersatu yesterday, Mingguan Malaysia reported.

“Their offence was urging the President to step down. They were expelled for that offence, and we sympathise with what has happened,” he was quoted as saying.

Hamzah, the Larut MP, was expelled from Bersatu for allegedly leading a movement to oust party president Tan Sri Muhyyidin Yassin.

Also sacked were three other MPs – Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal (Machang), Azahari Hasan (Padang Rengas), and Fathul Huzir Ayob (Gerik) ­– as well as two state assemblymen and nine division chiefs.

While saying that PAS does not interfere in the internal affairs of other parties, Tuan Ibrahim expressed concern over the development’s impact on the stability of the PN coalition, which is built on the core partnership of PAS and Bersatu.

He noted that the expulsion of key figures would have a “significant impact” on the coalition and would take time to recover from.

 Malay Mail – Malaysia