Retaining Hamzah Zainudin as opposition leader makes political sense - analysts

 

Analysts say Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin’ opposition leader position largely depends on him continuing to command the confidence of the opposition bench. BERNAMA PIC

KUALA LUMPUR: Perikatan Nasional's decision to retain Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin as opposition leader despite his sacking from Bersatu make "political sense" from Pas' perspective, say analysts.

Sunway University political scientist Professor Wong Chin Huat said keeping Hamzah in the role could reflect Pas' preference for a broader opposition alignment.

Retaining him, he suggested, would allow the opposition to maintain the status quo as
much as possible despite the Bersatu purge, without having to get a new parliamentary opposition leader or weaken Hamzah's standing.

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"It makes political sense from Pas' perspective, which (Bersatu president Tan Sri) Muhyiddin (Yassin) may not like but has no power to object to," he told New Straits Times.

Wong was asked to comment on PN chief whip Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan's announcement that no formal notification had been submitted to change the opposition leader, citing limited time remaining in the current Dewan Rakyat sitting.

Takiyuddin had said the matter would be discussed further at a later date.

Wong described this configuration as "PN-Plus" — comprising Pas and Bersatu, together with Hamzah's faction and
Muda.

He added that Muda had been part of the 69-member opposition bench for the past two years.

On the institutional weight of the role, Wong said the opposition leader was more than symbolic a role.

"The opposition leader is the counterpart of the prime minister — effectively the prime minister-in-waiting, more than the PN chairman himself," he said.

"He can decide the agenda and strategies of the opposition bench, and is effective as long as other opposition MPs play ball."

Wong added that there was no constitutional requirement for the opposition leader to hold a formal party position.

"All an opposition leader needs is the confidence of the majority of the opposition bench. Party position is not required," he said, noting that even a prime minister's legitimacy rested on majority support in the House rather than formal party titles.

Associate Professor Dr Tricia Yeoh
at the University
of Nottingham Malaysia's School of Politics, International Relations and Economics (SPIRE), said selecting a new opposition leader would likely require lengthy deliberations among PN component parties.

"With limited time remaining in this parliamentary sitting, it is unlikely that a new opposition leader will be selected in time."

Yeoh also said the position itself was not tied to any specific coalition.

"PN is not the only coalition in the status of opposition. There are other parties apart from PN in the opposition," said Yeoh.

However, she added that the optics remained significant.

"If PN does not elect its opposition leader from within PN itself, this may not be ideal in terms of optics and how it presents itself.

"This is because PN is by far the largest opposition bloc in Parliament," she said.

Yeoh added that reports of Hamzah seeking to take over a dormant political party suggested further negotiations might be underway, though it remained unclear whether any such platform would be aligned with PN.

"The next 12 months will be highly fascinating to observe, given the increased fragmentation among political elite players and negotiations in multiple directions," she said.

For now, the analysts say Hamzah's position hinges less on party affiliation and more on whether he continues to command the confidence of the opposition bench. - NST