PETALING JAYA: Newly appointed Perikatan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar is a far better candidate than Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin to serve as Opposition Leader, as the role requires clear alignment with Perikatan Nasional’s direction in Parliament, says Zaharudin Muhammad.
“Between Hamzah and Dr Sam, I believe it would be far better for Dr Sam to serve as Opposition Leader, as coherence and alignment in strategy are crucial,” said the Sungai Buloh PAS chief.
“Otherwise, Perikatan may decide on one course of action, only for the Opposition Leader in Parliament to take a different position,” he said in a Facebook post on Monday (March 17).
Zaharudin was commenting on PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang’s statement that the post of Opposition Leader
should be determined by the support of the majority of Opposition MPs.
Referring to remarks by Hamzah on the matter, Zaharudin said his understanding was that the position would remain with the candidate who continued to command majority backing among Opposition MPs, regardless of whether PAS proposed one of its own lawmakers for the role.
On the question of prime ministerial leadership, however, Zaharudin said his position remained unchanged.
The son-in-law of Abdul Hadi Awang said he agreed with PAS spiritual leader Datuk Hashim Jasin that Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man or Datuk Idris Ahmad would be more suitable if the Prime Minister’s post were to be held by a PAS leader.
Zaharudin stressed that the role of Opposition Leader was distinct from that of Prime Minister, as it did not involve administering the country or the Federal Government.
He expressed hope that Perikatan MPs would back either Dr Sam or Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan for the Opposition Leader’s post.
“I repeat once again, for the post of Prime Minister, my position remains Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim or Datuk Idris Ahmad, if the Prime Minister is to come from PAS,” he said.
