Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz, information chief of Bersatu, has declared that former party leader Hamzah Zainudin and his supporters should be regarded as enemies of Perikatan Nasional (PN), not allies.
In a Facebook post, Tun Faisal accused Hamzah and his faction across the country of actively attacking and spreading propaganda against Bersatu.
Attacks on Bersatu harm the entire coalition
“Attacking Bersatu, a PN component party, inevitably impacts the coalition as a whole,” he said.
“For this reason, Hamzah and his supporters are not allies but rather enemies of Bersatu. Given their ongoing attacks on a PN member party, they should also be considered as enemies of PN,” Tun Faisal added.
He further stated that Hamzah and the five MPs who were sacked alongside him are now independents and no longer part of the opposition bloc.
The five MPs are Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal (Machang), Fathul Huzir Ayob (Gerik), Azahari Hasan (Padang Rengas), Saifuddin Abdullah (Indera Mahkota) and Wan Saiful Wan Jan (Tasik Gelugor).
Recent developments and alignments
On Sunday, Hamzah and 18 other MPs aligned with him – including 13 who remain in Bersatu – publicly stated their support for PN after the appointment of its new chairman Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar.
Hamzah has maintained close ties with several PAS leaders. Hours after his expulsion from Bersatu, he shared a photo of himself having tea with Samsuri, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang and secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan.
A day after his sacking, Hamzah declared at a gathering that party president Muhyiddin Yassin is his number one enemy.
Hamzah’s expulsion also led to a wave of resignations among Bersatu wing and division leaders.
The Larut MP and the MPs backing him are expected to join a new political party – described as their “new home” – this week.
Analysts weigh in on future moves
FMT quoted several analysts who suggested Hamzah’s safest path would be to stay PAS-friendly and remain aligned with PN.
Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad Sabri noted that Hamzah lacks sufficient grassroots support to lead a new bloc.
Syaza Shukri expected him to keep close ties with PAS to gain its backing in the next general election.
