Pas desparate to get Hamzah Zainudin
By LOKMAN ADAM
For months, Pas leaders have been sending mixed signals about the future of Perikatan Nasional (PN).
But recent developments suggest one thing is becoming increasingly clear. Pas is desperately trying to lock in Hamzah Zainudin while quietly distancing itself from Bersatu’s current power structure.
The reason is not difficult to understand. Pas can read the political landscape as well as anyone.
It sees a Bersatu that is increasingly divided, weakened by internal factionalism, and struggling to project a clear direction.
The cracks are no longer hidden behind press conferences and political slogans.
More importantly, Pas appears increasingly fed up with the faction aligned to Muhyiddin Yassin.
What was once viewed as a political partnership is now starting to resemble a relationship weighed down by mistrust, uncertainty and conflicting interests.
From Pas’s perspective, Bersatu’s internal problems have become a liability.
Political parties preparing for a general election do not want to spend their time managing another party’s internal disputes.
They want stability, predictability and a clear chain of command.
This is where Hamzah Zainudin enters the equation. Unlike many others in Bersatu, Hamzah is widely seen as an organiser, strategist and political operator capable of holding together competing interests. Pas seizes the value of that experience.
The growing speculation about closer Pas-Hamzah cooperation is therefore not accidental.
It reflects a calculation that Hamzah may offer a more reliable political partner than a Bersatu leadership increasingly consumed by internal power struggles.
What makes the situation even more telling is that these rumours are not being aggressively denied.
Instead, there appears to be a deliberate effort to keep options open. That alone speaks volumes about the state of relations between Pas and Bersatu.
The reality is simple. Pas wants to enter the next general election from a position of strength.
If that means strengthening ties with Hamzah’s camp while creating more distance from Muhyiddin’s faction, Pas will not hesitate to make that move.
Whether Pas ultimately cuts the cord completely remains to be seen. But one thing is certain, the relationship between Pas and Bersatu is no longer what it once was.
The trust is fading, the frustrations are growing, and Pas appears increasingly convinced that Hamzah Zainudin may be a safer political bet for PRU16.