SPECULATION is continuing over the status of Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin as Opposition leader as both Bersatu and PAS MPs remained coy on the subject.
When met at Parliament yesterday, Hamzah himself only gave a one-worded reply, before evading the media.
“Later,” said the Larut MP while rushing back into Dewan Rakyat.
Other Opposition MPs were equally tight-lipped on the matter.
“No, it’s okay. The matter will be updated in no time,” said Putrajaya MP and Bersatu vice-president Datuk Radzi Jidin in sidestepping the question.
Pendang MP Datuk Awang Hashim of PAS, said the most important thing is that all is well in Perikatan Nasional, of which the party and Bersatu are coalition partners.
“Everything else will follow suit. Any decision relies on Perikatan,” he said.
Meanwhile, Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan said Hamzah remains Opposition leader as of now.
“We will see how Perikatan decides. Regardless, we are confident that the new Perikatan chairman (Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar) will make a wise decision,” said the Tasek Gelugor MP who was also sacked from Bersatu.
Wan Saiful was also confident that the incoming candidate for the Opposition leader post will come from PAS.
“Who the candidate will be, it is up to PAS,” he said.
According to him, PAS had also previously nominated Hamzah as Opposition leader, and not Bersatu.
“We shall see how it goes. Personally, I hope he (Hamzah) will retain this position. We will find out in due time.
“A decision must be made swiftly to quell any uncertainty. I hope we resolve it soon,” he said.
Hamzah, a former Bersatu deputy president, was sacked from the party on Feb 13 for allegedly sabotaging the party and trying to oust its president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
Later in the Dewan Rakyat, Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul said he will assume nothing has happened unless official correspondence follows.
“Whatever happens outside, in whichever party, as long as there is no black-and-white or notice to me, I will assume that nothing has happened. Only if someone writes in to me, I will conduct my investigation and make a decision.
“At the moment, nothing has developed yet, so I assume that there is nothing going on,” he said when responding to RSN Rayer (PH-Jelutong), who asked about Hamzah’s status and his seating position.
As it stands, PAS which is the party with the highest number of seats in the Opposition bloc, has said that the new leader will be appointed from among its MPs.
