Tak penting pemimpin PAS jadi ketua pembangkang, kata Iskandar

PAS leader Iskandar Abdul Samad emphasized that it is not crucial for his party to hold the position of deputy prime minister, as they already have sufficient opportunities to express their opinions through the 43 members of parliament. Despite the deputy prime minister being given more speaking time in the House of Representatives, Iskandar pointed out that many elected representatives allow PAS to present arguments and positions on various issues.

He referenced former Umno leader Puad Zarkashi's proposal to take over the deputy prime minister role from Hamzah Zainudin, citing that Wawasan's presidency seemed less effective during the 2027 budget debate.

PAS does not need to listen to Iskandar's views, as they previously disregarded his words, the deputy prime minister told FMT. On the day Puad mentioned Hamzah's failure to present new proposals or a solid foundation in the budget debate, Iskandar said the deputy prime minister's role is mainly focused on parliamentary matters, while the PAS leader receives attention from both domestic and foreign leaders.

For example, PAS deputy president Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar is frequently found among international leaders, even though he is not the deputy prime minister.

Iskandar also pointed out that PAS actually has a recognized poster boy for the opposition, even though it has not been officially announced. Although no poster boy has been officially designated, the public is aware of his identity. In fact, Hamzah has been de facto the poster boy since December 2022, when he was appointed, despite being suspended from Bersatu between April and June due to being expelled.

Samsuri, who is also the chairman of National Prosecution, took over the role temporarily before Hamzah returned as deputy prime minister in June.