Hamzah’s followers leaving Bersatu in a dilemma, says analyst

 Syaza Shukri asks what Bersatu's leadership will do to woo Hamzah Zainudin's supporters into backing Muhyiddin Yassin.

Hamzah Zainudin was one of 17 Bersatu leaders sacked on Feb 13, at the height of his feud with party president Muhyiddin Yassin.

PETALING JAYA:

 Hamzah Zainudin loyalists who remain in Bersatu are leaving the party in a dilemma as it mulls disciplinary action against them, says an analyst.

Syaza Shukri of International Islamic University Malaysia said Bersatu would face drawbacks if it took too drastic or too cautious an approach to handling these leaders and members.

She said this would test the ability of Bersatu’s leadership to manage and keep control of the party following the expulsion of Hamzah and several others aligned with him.

“If Bersatu comes down too hard on Hamzah’s supporters, it risks pushing out some leaders, which could prompt grassroots to leave the party,” she told FMT.

Syaza said sacking MPs or assemblymen who were in Hamzah’s corner would also allow them to retain their seats while putting the spotlight on party president Muhyiddin Yassin’s leadership, exposing him to criticism.

“But if it is overly cautious, it will give the perception that Hamzah still wields significant influence in the party.

“The next question is this: if they aren’t sacked, what will the leadership do to woo Hamzah’s supporters into backing Muhyiddin?” said Syaza.

On Feb 13, Bersatu sacked a total of 17 leaders, including Hamzah, at the height of the opposition leader’s bitter feud with Muhyiddin.

The Perikatan Nasional component was left with 19 MPs of the 31 it had immediately after the 2022 general election. However, Hamzah claims that 13 of Bersatu’s 19 MPs support him.

Among the 13 are Bersatu vice-president and Wanita Bersatu chief Mas Ermieyati Samsudin, both of whom were served with suspensions by the party yesterday.

Mas Ermieyati said she had expected that she would not be given the boot, and that the suspension would not affect her in any way.

Hamzah meanwhile mockingly challenged Bersatu to sack his supporters, asking why the party found it so difficult to continue purging those in his faction.

Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad Sabri of Global Asia Consulting warned Bersatu that taking Hamzah’s bait would be akin to following his direction, which would weaken the party’s institution and demoralise grassroots.

He said Hamzah was still trying to show that he exerts influence in Bersatu, which he said needed to stress loyalty to the party over individuals at this time.

However, how Bersatu’s grassroots respond remains to be seen.

“If the grassroots truly want this party to survive, they must stand with their leadership instead of bowing to someone who has lost his legitimacy in the party,” said Zaharuddin. - FMT