PAS says Hamzah Zainudin’s return as Opposition Leader was always the plan

KUALA LUMPUR, June 14 — PAS said Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin's return as Opposition Leader had long been its preferred outcome, adding that Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia had previously been uncomfortable with him remaining in the role following his expulsion from the party.

Berita Harian reported that PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said the Islamist party had wanted to retain Hamzah in the role from the outset because of his performance and the support he commanded among Opposition lawmakers.

“Actually, from the very beginning, we wanted to retain Datuk Seri Hamzah because of his performance and because many MPs were with him. It was just that Bersatu was not particularly comfortable with Hamzah’s position at the time, as he had been expelled from the party.

“So when he formed a new party (Parti Wawasan Negara) and joined us (PAS), we thought we should continue to retain him (as Opposition Leader),” Tuan Ibrahim told reporters after a pre-election ceramah at the PAS operations centre in Seremban last night.

According to the national daily, Tuan Ibrahim said the arrangement had already been agreed upon before PAS vice-president Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar was appointed PN chairman in February, after Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin stepped aside from the position.

Hamzah had relinquished the role after being expelled from Bersatu, with Ahmad Samsuri succeeding him as Opposition Leader following PN's Supreme Council meeting on May 16.

Tuan Ibrahim added that Hamzah’s decision to establish Parti Wawasan Negara and align himself with PAS meant the issue was no longer tied to Bersatu.

“Because he formed a new party and is with us, we decided to retain him once again,” he said.

Yesterday, PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang announced that Hamzah, who is also the Larut MP, would return as Opposition Leader during the RESET convention in Tanah Merah, Kelantan.

Hadi said PAS and the RESET movement had agreed to retain Hamzah in the role, adding that the decision had been reached through consultation within PAS and among MPs.