Is this Hamzah’s winning move?

Hamzah’s leadership of Parti Keluarga Malaysia may be just what voters are looking for

Photo: Malay Mail

Hamzah Zainudin’s lost to Muhyiddin Yassin in a tough party tussle. This may have been a blessing in disguise. After Hamzah’s subsequent expulsion from Bersatu he set about finding a new political to go. This looks like it happening through a takeover of an existing party.

Hamzah is now in the process of rebuilding new a Bersatu. He is using Parti Keluarga Malaysia as the platform. Hamzah has negotiated a takeover of Parti Keluarga Malaysia from its founder Khairi Jaya.

This has eventuated because there was a strong feeling that Muhyiddin is blocking the way forward for Bersatu and a new approach was necessary. Under Muhyiddin many Bersatu members feel there is a risk that Bersatu may falter in the coming general election.

Rebuilding Bersatu under a new platform

Hamzah already has 5 other MPs behind him who were also sacked from Bersatu. These include Wan Saiful, Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal (Machang), Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah (Indera Mahkota), Fathul Huzir Ayob (Gerik) and Azahari Hasan (Padang Rengas).

Many other Bersatu MPs support Hamzah and will most probably come across after the present parliament is dissolved. This will most probably be in 2027. This could bring his MP numbers up to 19 who would face the coming general election as incumbents.

Back in the 2018 general election, Bersatu as a relatively new party was able to secure 13 seats. In the 2022 general election this increased to 31 seats. Hamzah may be able to repeat such a feat with the base he will have. Hamzah will focus on defeating left over Bersatu and UMNO sets.

Optimistically, Hamzah under Parti Keluarga Malaysia could win more than 30 seats in the coming general election.

Probably strategy

There are many voters in Malaysia today who are very disappointed with parties from both sides of politics. They see no future with Pakatan Harapan and UMNO and also see Bersatu as a discreditable choice. These voters with no real choice may just elect to stay home and not vote.

However, if Hamzah can offer voters a new choice with a “real policy framework” Parti Keluarga Malaysia may be able to win seats based on these disgruntled voters. If there are enough faces inside Parti Keluarga Malaysia who are familiar to voters, then Hamzah will be able to carry much electoral credibility.

In such a manner, Hamzah will be able to eat into Umno seats and what is left over in Muhyiddin’s Bersatu. Muhyiddin and Azmin Ali will go down with the Bersatu ship.

PAS will be the force behind Hamzah – March 9 meeting important

The PAS leadership has a lot of respect for Hamzah. Hamzah is still officially the leader of the opposition. On March 9 there will be an important meeting between PAS and Hamzah. If PAS reaffirms Hamzah as the leader of the opposition and admits Parti Keluarga Malaysia to Perikatan Nasional (PN), the scene will be set for the party’s rise.

Under such a situation, its sure many Bersatu members will realign behind Hamzah in his new platform. A tired Muhyiddin supported by Azmin’s group will be abandoned.

If voters see Hamzah and Parti Kuluarga Malaysia as a positive choice then there is a good chance that Parti Keluarga Malaysia will be the second largest Malay supported party in parliament. If Hamzah sends out the right messages, then some non-Malays may also support him.

The next general election is set to become a very interesting one.