Wan Saiful claimed that Hamzah was summoned in order to explain why he was unable to “control” him (Wan Saiful).

“Bersatu has gone mad (in calling up the deputy president),” he said in a podcast interview with former law minister Zaid Ibrahim.

He said Hamzah made the right call not to attend the meeting as he would have been “denied justice”.

Wan Saiful said he felt like a “witness in someone else’s case” when recalling how he had been grilled by the disciplinary board.

“They kept asking who was the mastermind and what Hamzah’s role was. It was as if a decision had already been made to do away with us,” he said.

Wan Saiful is among the leaders sanctioned by Bersatu recently for allegedly violating the party’s constitution and code of conduct.

Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal was also suspended for the same reason.

Bersatu’s disciplinary board also expelled four division chiefs; Azrudin Idris (Hang Tuah Jaya), Faizal Asmar (Pengerang), Fadhli Ismail (Ipoh Timur), and Isa Saidi (Ampang).

Wan Saiful also alleged that Muhyiddin had become detached from the grassroots, but said it was due to him being surrounded by aides with vested interests.

These aides “who only thought about themselves and not the party” had also led to frayed ties between Muhyiddin and the grassroots. He also alleged that Muhyiddin’s long time aide had a poor reputation among the mass media.

Wan Saiful had previously accused several figures close to Muhyiddin of straining ties among the party’s top leaders, singling out Bersatu secretary-general Azmin Ali and information chief Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz.