Hamzah favoured by most to stay as opposition leader, says Bersatu MP

 Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz says a majority of opposition MPs want Hamzah Zainudin to keep his position as he has performed 'excellently'.

Hamzah Zainudin, who was sacked by Bersatu, has said he is prepared to step down as the opposition leader if a majority of PN’s MPs want him to relinquish the post. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

 A majority of the 69 opposition MPs want Hamzah Zainudin to continue leading the bloc in the Dewan Rakyat, says a Bersatu MP.

Tanah Merah MP Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz said this was especially so among the PAS MPs, who make up the majority of opposition members with 43, despite the party taking over the chairmanship of Perikatan Nasional last month.

“So far, it is understood that Hamzah will remain the opposition leader because the majority of the opposition MPs want him to be retained.

“(This is) especially so among the PAS MPs. They agree that Hamzah should be retained,” the former deputy minister told FMT.

Ikmal said most of Bersatu’s 19 MPs were also in favour of Hamzah staying put as the opposition leader, despite the former deputy president’s sacking from the party last month.

“If a vote were to be taken among the opposition MPs, the majority would want him to remain in the role because he has performed excellently,” said the former Umno man.

FMT has reached out to PN chairman Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar for comment.

PN is due to name a new opposition leader by the end of this month to replace Hamzah following his sacking at the height of a leadership tussle with party president Muhyiddin Yassin.

The next Dewan Rakyat meeting is in June, giving the coalition plenty of time to name a replacement, though several Bersatu leaders have urged PAS to replace Hamzah sooner rather than later.

They have also criticised Hamzah for continuing to issue statements in his capacity as the opposition leader.

Contacted by FMT, a well-placed source in the PN leadership said no decision has been made yet, and no Supreme Council meeting scheduled.

However, the source said there is a possibility that Kota Bharu MP Takiyuddin Hassan, the secretary-general for PAS and PN, would take over the role.

Hamzah previously said he was prepared to step down if a majority of PN MPs want him to relinquish his post.

The Larut MP has the public backing of 13 of Bersatu’s 19 MPs, including Ikmal, party vice-president Ronald Kiandee and Wanita chief Mas Ermieyati Samsudin.

Kiandee and Mas Ermieyati have also been slapped with suspensions by Bersatu.

The 11 others include Rosol Wahid (Hulu Terengganu), Ku Abd Rahman Ku Ismail (Kubang Pasu), Muslimin Yahaya (Sungai Besar) and Abdul Khalib Abdullah (Rompin).

The rest are Khlir Nor (Ketereh), Zakri Hassan (Kangar), Roslan Hashim (Kulim Bandar Baharu), Nordin Ahmad Ismail (Lumut), Kalam Salan (Sabak Bernam) and Islahuddin Abas (Mersing). - FMT