00:00When Bersatu Deputy President Hamzah Zainuddin was sacked by the party in February this year,
00:05everyone wondered what his next move would be,
00:09knowing it could potentially reshape past,
00:11Trikatan Nasional, and even national politics.
00:15Speculations swirled that Hamzah might seize control of a small party and rebrand it.
00:20But could this party survive on its own,
00:23or would it need a big brother much like Dr. Mahathir Mohamad had in Pakatan Harapan back in 2016?
00:29Could PAS be that big brother?
00:31Of course, standing in the way of that collaboration would be Muhirin Yassin, Hamzah's number one enemy.
00:37If PAS embraces Hamzah, Muhirin could threaten to pull Bersatu out of PN,
00:42a move PAS cannot afford.
00:45But even if Hamzah's party joins up with PAS, risks abound.
00:49PAS, indisputably the opposition coalition leader, is bound to cherry-pick its seats,
00:55leaving the less winnable ones for its smaller allies.
00:59Even within PAS, disharmony may arise.
01:02Hamzah's presence might embolden the professional faction to challenge the clerics,
01:07unsettling the party's internal balance.
01:09Hamzah is no ordinary politician.
01:12Street-smart and backed by loyal followers,
01:14he could either weaken PAS's ulama faction,
01:17or moderate the opposition by countering hardline voices.
01:21For Malaysians, that duality presents both a threat and a potential opportunity.
01:26So, who can blame PAS for playing the waiting game when it comes to nominating the new opposition leader in
01:32parliament?
01:33The stakes are high.
01:35Absorb Hamzah and risk internal upheaval.
01:38Reject him and lose a potentially powerful ally.
01:41For the full picture, read Tajuddin Rasti's opinion piece,
01:45Hamzah's next move, what it means for PAS, PN and Malaysians,
01:49where else but on FMT.
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