Hamzah usaha satu blok parti politik lawan Anwar

Hamzah Zainudin, a seasoned politician who has supported two powerful premiers, could once again play a pivotal role in determining the government that will rule Malaysia, as he seeks to unite two of the country's largest parties, Wawasan and PAS. Since launching the Wawasan party in June, Hamzah has officially become the leader of the opposition in Parliament, with backing from PAS.

His goal is to bring PAS into a national coalition alongside Umno, uniting two main parties representing Malay and Islam, which together account for nearly 60% of the population. If successful, this coalition could challenge the unity government of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who made Umno a partner in governance since the 2022 PRU, following no party's success in securing a landslide to form a government.

This coalition would also create a large and influential political alliance ahead of the upcoming PRU, expected to be held early 2028. Hamzah aims to plant the idea in the minds of his constituents: "You are Malays, sit down and discuss." In Malaysia's complex political system, the aim is to ensure that the representatives of the people receive economic and other privileges for Malays and Islam, who have been the prime minister of the country since independence in 1957, while traditionally, the ruling coalition has allocated votes to Chinese, Indian, and other minority communities in the nation.

Hamzah, who started his political career in Umno and now aligns with Wawasan, which is allied with PAS, remains in a good position to help establish differences between the two parties that have been competing for Malay Muslim votes for decades. At 69 years old, he plays a crucial role in gathering support from MP members, including securing backing from Umno and PAS, which led to Muhyiddin Yassin taking the top position in 2020.

This move pushed out Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, who acknowledged Hamzah's role in forging cooperation between the two largest Malay parties. Later, Muhyiddin appointed Hamzah as his senior advisor in Bersatu. When Muhyiddin lost the parliamentary majority just a year later, Hamzah helped gather support for Ismail Sabri Yaakob as the next prime minister.

Prof. Dr. Syaza Farhana Shukri, a senior political science lecturer at the International Islamic University Malaysia, said the new electoral pact comprising the main Malay parties is still possible. However, she added, Muhyiddin's rule has been overshadowed by internal conflicts, while Malay Umno nationalism has long clashed with PAS's more explicitly Islamic vision.

"Political unity in Malaysia is difficult to achieve because every party only thinks about itself," said Syaza. Hamzah was removed from Bersatu in February following the leadership crisis with Muhyiddin. He said the newly formed Wawasan party has already managed to attract over 50,000 members in nearly three months and expects that number to reach 300,000 by the end of the year.

Unlike other Malay parties, Wawasan allows non-Malays to become regular members and hold leadership positions, with the presidency reserved for Malays. Unlike other Malay parties, Wawasan allows non-Malays to become regular members and hold leadership positions, with the presidency reserved for Malays.