Ministers can meet anyone, says Hamzah about past Sabah visit

IPOH: Ministers can meet with anyone, regardless of whether they are politicians or not, says Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin.

He was commenting on the allegation by DAP’s Liew Chin Tong who claimed Hamzah’s trip to Sabah for a “shopping spree” was to meet with Parti Warisan Sabah MPs.

“My ministry aims to help anyone regardless of who they are,” he told reporters at the headquarters of the Northern Brigade of the General Operations Force (GOF) in Ulu Kinta yesterday.

It was reported that Liew warned Pakatan Harapan about Hamzah’s visit to the state and claimed that it was an effort to entice Warisan MPs to his side as the party is seen as a key for Pakatan Plus’ possible return to Putrajaya. Pakatan Plus is an informal term which refers to the Pakatan coalition after Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia and several PKR leaders left the bloc.

Hamzah, who is Bersatu secretary-general, also commented on the photo uploaded by former party president Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad on his Twitter account on Wednesday.

“Disrespecting the logo means that a person does not care about the party. The logo is the symbol of the party,” he said.

Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir and Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah changed their respective profile pictures to a Bersatu logo with the trademark red turned black. The “blackout” campaign was launched on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Hamzah said special incentive would be given to some 1,200 personnel and officers who served at 98 facilities in the rural areas of the country under the Home Ministry.

He said the monthly incentive would be paid out to the police, Rela, National Registration Department and Immigration Department.

Hamzah was at the GOF headquarters to attend a ceremony to posthumously promote Kpl Safwan Muhammad Ismail, to the rank of Sarjan. Safwan died after he was run over by an alleged drunk driver along the Lekas Highway on May 3.