Perikatan Nasional deputy secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said a “pre-council” meeting scheduled at Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin’s residence tonight, in lieu of a now-cancelled extraordinary supreme council meeting, is “unconstitutional”.
While PN’s constitution included a provision for the creation of a “presidential council”, Takiyuddin revealed that the body was never formed.
“The Bersatu president (Muhyiddin) wrote to all component party presidents, calling these three presidents to attend a meeting (at his house), referred to as a ‘pre-council meeting’. I checked the constitution… there’s no basis for it; it was never established.
“There is a Clause 7A on the presidential council, but it was never set up. So maybe (tonight) it’s just a meeting to drink coffee,” the Kota Bharu MP said when asked about the matter during a press conference in Parliament today, a weekly affair led by opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin to recap issues discussed in the Dewan Rakyat.
Yesterday, leaked correspondence between Muhyiddin and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang showed their opposing views on a purported “consensus” reached during a Jan 16 meeting at the Pagoh MP’s home to resolve matters arising from his resignation.
Among other things, Muhyiddin claimed that an agreement had been reached to establish a presidential council led by Bersatu and an executive council led by PAS, and to abolish the position of PN chairperson, which the Islamist party is eyeing.
In the letter, Muhyiddin also revealed that, based on the purported consensus, he had requested the cancellation of the extraordinary PN supreme council meeting called by Takiyuddin, which he was neither notified of nor invited to, with an agenda that included appointing a new PN chairperson.
Hadi, in a purported letter responding to Muhyiddin, claimed that the proposed resolution referred to by the Bersatu leader was neither discussed nor agreed to.
Asked whether Hadi will be attending the meeting at Muhyiddin’s house tonight, Takiyuddin said he could not confirm it.
Meanwhile, Hamzah said he was not invited to the pre-council meeting.
“If I wasn’t invited, how could I attend?” he said when asked whether he would be there.
Quelling ‘storm in teacup’
Elaborating on the cancelled extraordinary supreme council meeting, Takiyuddin said he had issued the cancellation notice to contain “a storm in a teacup” which had spilt over.
“How can we proceed when the party presidents have been invited to another meeting at a different location?” the PAS leader asked.
On a related matter, Takiyuddin said the purported “consensus” to abolish the PN chairperson’s post, as claimed by Muhyiddin, could risk action from the Registrar of Societies (ROS) as it is still enshrined in its constitution.
“PAS’ position is clear based on a letter from the PAS president (to Muhyiddin) - we want PN’s structure to remain as provided for in the constitution.
“It cannot be changed. If it were changed, it would be unconstitutional. Action could be taken by the authorities, especially ROS,” he warned.
Both copies of the alleged correspondence were shared with the media and in WhatsApp groups yesterday, believed to be linked to Hamzah’s supporters, who had publicly denied on multiple occasions any rift with Muhyiddin. - Mkini
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