15/03/2026

NATIONAL 3 theSun on Sunday MAR 15, 2026

Education minister calls for apology over spread of misinformation BUKIT MERTAJAM: Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the party which spread misinformation that a

school hall, not in a church as alleged. The event was attended by many stakeholders and the allegation is completely untrue. The discussions went well, so the claim has no basis. “That’s why I am asking the party responsible to come forward and apologise because the claim is false and malicious,” she said after officiating at the ministry’s breaking-of fast on Friday. Education director-general Datuk Dr Mohd Azam Ahmad said the session was held in the hall at the Assumption International Secondary School in Bukit Mertajam, Penang.

programme involving schools was conducted at a church must issue an apology. She said the claims that had been widely circulated on social media could cause unnecessary misunderstanding and disrupt harmony in the community, especially among Muslims who are observing Ramadan. “We have received a complaint over a defamatory statement claiming that we (the Education Ministry) held a programme in a church, which has caused public confusion. The programme was actually held at an international school where we conducted an engagement session with stakeholders of private schools and preschools. “The session took place in the

He said the school was chosen based on several factors, including its amenities and facilities as well as to highlight the role of international schools in the country’s private education ecosystem. – Bernama ‘Hamzah mum over Bangkok meeting before dismissal’

Fadhlina with students at a breaking of fast event in Butterworth yesterday. – BERNAMAPIC

Bersatu had succession plan in place: Youth chief

related to electoral strategy, particularly during discussions within Bersatu’s top leadership bodies regarding the number of seats the party intended to contest in last year’s Sabah state election. Hilman said the party had initially agreed during internal meetings that Bersatu would contest a maximum of 15 seats while pursuing electoral cooperation with other regional parties. “During the discussions we were told that Bersatu would form coalitions with parties such as Sabah STAR and Warisan.” Hilman claimed that the strategy changed abruptly near the end of the negotiation process. “Suddenly we were told that Bersatu would contest more than 30 seats because the talks with Warisan had failed and the only remaining arrangement was with STAR.” Hilman also alleged that party leaders were told that the details of the coalition arrangement should remain confidential until after nomination day. He said the arrangement, however, did not materialise as described. “By nomination day, it became clear that in constituencies where STAR was supposedly contesting, Bersatu was not standing aside. Instead, both sides ended up contesting in the same areas.” Hilman further alleged that the last-minute changes were driven by internal pressures to ensure more Bersatu Sabah division leaders were fielded as candidates. He added that some leaders were prepared to accept defeat in the election as long as they were able to keep their supporters happy and keep their positions. In the 17th Sabah state election last year where Hamzah was the Perikatan Nasional election director, Bersatu was totally wiped out after losing all 33 seats it contested. – By Ikhwan Zulkaflee

PETALING JAYA: Sacked Bersatu deputy president Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin had never admitted that he had met Umno President Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in Bangkok prior to his dismissal, said Bersatu Youth chief Muhammad Hilman Idham. The Gombak Setia assemblyman told theSun that Hamzah was questioned on the matter during a Bersatu Supreme Council meeting where party leaders sought clarification over reports of their alleged meeting. He said the matter remained unanswered until another sacked Bersatu leader Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan inadvertently mentioned the meeting in public, prompting Hamzah to eventually respond to the allegation. “Only after Wan Saiful slipped up about the matter did Hamzah respond publicly. He later gave an interview saying the meeting in Bangkok was to unite the people and the ummah. “As a senior leader he should have reported it to the party. This is a political party. We have a president, a political bureau and a supreme leadership council. “If he thought the matter was sensitive and feared that it might leak from the supreme council, then it could have been discussed in the political bureau. If that was still a concern, he could have informed the president directly. He was then the deputy president and he could have just whispered it to the president.” The Bangkok meeting was also attended by PAS secretary general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan who said he went to the meeting with the blessing of his president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang. Hilman said the situation reflected a pattern of unilateral decisions that had previously caused unease within the party leadership. He cited earlier decisions

‘Agreement was for Hamzah Zainudin to eventually take over as party president from Muhyiddin’

camps of Ahmad Faizal and Azmin. Hilam added that Azmin himself had approved of the president’s proposal and did not move to block it. He pointed out that many divisions aligned their votes with the direction set by the party leadership, citing the voting outcome in the Gombak division as an example. “In Gombak, we had 278 delegates. Ronald Kiandee received all 278 votes. Radzi Jidin also received all 278 votes for the vice-president post. Only Ahmad Faizal didn’t get the full vote.” He said despite that, tensions later emerged when decisions were allegedly made without proper consultation with the party’s leadership structure. “Once you’ve become the deputy president, you should be patient. Wait for the next party election in 2027 to take over the presidency. That shouldn’t even be an issue.” Hilman said such actions created dissatisfaction within the party, particularly when they involved major strategic or political decisions. “Problems arise when decisions are made without consulting the party. Muhyiddin is not the kind of leader who controls everything himself – he delegates responsibilities within the party.”

Ű BY IKHWAN ZULKAFLEE newsdesk@thesundaily.com

for power. Hilman said consultations were subsequently held within the party leadership before Muhyiddin made a proposal ahead of party elections in 2024. He said Muhyiddin had suggested that then deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu only contest the vice-president’s post to give way for Hamzah. The arrangement would have allowed leaders such as Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee and Datuk Seri Dr Radzi Jidin to remain in their respective vice-president posts. Hilman said due to the distrust towards Azmin, Hamzah embarked on a nationwide series of programmes dubbed as the Jelajah Amanat Presiden to engage party members and highlight the plan that he would take over the party in the future. He said the campaign was partly aimed at reinforcing the leadership transition message among grassroots members, particularly those concerned about internal leadership dynamics, partly fearing retaliation from the

PETALING JAYA: Bersatu Youth chief Muhammad Hilman Idham said there was an internal succession plan within Bersatu for Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin to eventually take over the party from its president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. “There was a plan. The issue was discussed during a retreat in Gopeng. It is normal in politics because there are leaders who want to rotate leadership,” Hilman told theSun recently. He said the proposal emerged amid concerns among party leaders about the eventual leadership transition after Muhyiddin. Hilman explained that despite the plan Bersatu leaders alligned with Hamzah believed that there were two possible successors – Hamzah and Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali. “Because of that concern, they asked Muhyiddin to clarify the matter,“ said Hilman, describing it as evidence of the Hamzah camp’s excessive ambition