Recent dismissals within Bersatu party are deepening internal divisions and raising questions about its future, as well as the leadership of the opposition in Malaysia. Political analysts suggest the party is significantly weakened and facing an uncertain path forward.
Can Bersatu Be Saved?
Political analysts say Bersatu will be further weakened by the recent sackings, due to the significant influence and support held by Hamzah Zainudin within the party. Universiti Malaya political analyst Awang Azman Awang Pawi believes the rift in the party is irreparable, given Hamzah’s majority support among Bersatu lawmakers.
Bersatu held 31 seats in the 2022 general election, but that number has dropped to 25 after six MPs switched allegiance to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government in 2023. Friday’s dismissals are expected to further reduce the party’s representation.
Sixteen Bersatu MPs released a statement on Friday supporting a call from party vice-president Ronald Kiandee for Muhyiddin Yassin to step down as president and allow Hamzah to take over. Kiandee, the Beluran MP and parliamentary whip, had previously stated that Muhyiddin had failed to effectively manage the party’s internal crisis.
“It seems that the party cannot be saved as not all (its) parliamentarians are with Muhyiddin,” said Awang Azman. “This has serious implications for Bersatu and it is going to be very ugly.”
Muhyiddin may be considering a return as chairman of Perikatan Nasional (PN), a role currently vacant due to disagreements with PAS, according to analysts. This position is seen as effectively the de facto prime ministerial candidate for Malaysia’s 16th General Election (GE16), which must be held by February 2028.
While PAS has officially stated it will not interfere in Bersatu’s internal affairs, it is widely seen as being more comfortable working with Hamzah, Awang Azman noted. PAS secured 43 parliamentary seats in the 2022 GE, a gain of 25 seats, and was a driving force behind PN’s success.
Who Will Be Next Opposition Leader?
Azmi Hassan, a senior fellow at the Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research, said the dismissals would worsen the relationship between Bersatu and PAS and foresee a dispute over the position of opposition leader following Hamzah’s sacking.
He stated that PN needs to urgently identify a successor, suggesting the position is increasingly likely to be filled by a candidate from PAS. “Hamzah cannot be the leader of the opposition (as an) independent (MP) since he has been sacked (by Bersatu). Already PN is facing issues choosing their chairman, now they will have another problem choosing their opposition leader,” he said.
Syaza Shukri, a political science professor at the International Islamic University Malaysia, suggested PAS could put forward its secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan as opposition leader, describing him as having traits “similar to Hamzah’s combativeness.” She doubted PAS would intervene in Bersatu’s internal problems, potentially waiting to see if Bersatu stabilizes before further negotiations.
“Bersatu needs to shift the party’s focus from this internal bickering to appear as a government in waiting,” Syaza said. “To ensure longevity, the party still needs to figure out its next tier leadership. So now Hamzah is gone, who is the second-in-command? Azmin?”
While the dismissals demonstrate Muhyiddin’s continued control over Bersatu, they also raise questions about his legitimacy as president, Syaza added.
University of Tasmania Asian studies professor James Chin suggested Bersatu could emerge stronger if Muhyiddin regains his position as PN chairman. “It could be this was his plan all along – create a crisis and get rid of Hamzah, his number one nemesis,” Chin said, referring to Muhyiddin’s decision to quit as PN chairman.
Regarding Hamzah’s seat, Chin believes it is unlikely the parliament speaker will declare it vacant, citing the precedent set with the six MPs Bersatu sacked earlier. In July 2024, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul ruled that those MPs could retain their seats as their dismissal did not trigger the anti-hopping law.
Hamzah is unlikely to join another party, as this would trigger the anti-hopping law and automatically vacate his seat, Chin said. Despite UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi reportedly expressing openness to welcoming back former members, including Hamzah, Chin believes Hamzah will likely remain an independent MP.
Hamzah’s status as an independent MP could benefit the government, allowing him to challenge Muhyiddin in parliament without being bound by opposition constraints, according to Chin. “Of course, this will benefit Anwar, but I don’t think he wants to be seen as getting too involved in Bersatu (affairs),” Chin added.
Syaza said the Anwar administration now has an opportunity to “produce tangible outcomes” that can be felt by the people before the next general election, demonstrating its ability to govern while the opposition remains in disarray.
Discover more from Archyworldys
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
