Opposition chief Hamzah pushes parties for bloc against Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR - Opposition chief Hamzah Zainudin, a seasoned political figure, is urging Malaysia's two largest parties, Umno and PAS, to form a united bloc against Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's government. Since establishing Parti Wawasan Negara in June, Hamzah has assumed the role of official parliamentary opposition leader, backed by PAS.

He aims to consolidate the two parties, which together represent the majority of Malaysia's population, to challenge the ruling coalition. If successful, such a partnership could diminish Anwar's government and establish a robust political alliance ahead of upcoming elections anticipated before early 2028. During an interview, Hamzah emphasized the importance of Malay unity in maintaining a stable nation and highlighted the August state election in Negeri Sembilan, where Umno and PAS cooperated to topple Anwar's Pakatan Harapan (PH) government.

Both parties are now contemplating a similar arrangement in Melaka, where another state election is scheduled within the next two months. This potential alliance has strained relations between Anwar and Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Zahid Hamidi, with the latter expressing a desire for early national elections to disengage from his current coalition with Anwar.

Hamzah, who transitioned from Umno to PAS, played a pivotal role in Muhyiddin Yassin's ascension to prime minister in 2020 and later facilitated Ismail Sabri Yaakob's appointment. Despite the challenges posed by infighting within the Muhyiddin administration, a unified Malay party coalition remains a possibility, according to political science professor Syaza Farhana Shukri.

However, Hamzah's Wawasan party, with over 50,000 members, faces stiff competition from Umno's 3.5 million members and Anwar's PKR's one million members.