A new home in Pas? Why Hamzah is tipped to join the Islamic party

SHAH ALAM – Former Bersatu deputy president Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin may look towards Pas as his next political home, driven by pragmatic necessity and established ties with the party’s hierarchy.

Political analyst Associate Professor Dr Mohd Azhar Abd Hamid suggested that Hamzah’s strong rapport with the top leadership of Pas could significantly smoothen his transition into the Islamic party.

“While there may be minor ideological divergences, these could be overcome if Hamzah is prepared to compromise on certain ideals.

“Joining Pas would likely be a straightforward process for him,” Azhar said.

He added that such a move could provide Hamzah with the necessary mandate to defend his parliamentary seat with enhanced grassroots support during the 16th General Election (GE16).

The speculation follows recent hints from Hamzah regarding the potential establishment or joining of a ‘new home’ to continue his political career.

Azhar added that Pas’s seasoned electoral experience and robust party machinery would allow it to effectively mobilise supporters and protect contested constituencies.

The analyst believes that any attempt by Hamzah to join or revitalise Berjasa would be fraught with difficulty.

As a minor player outside the political mainstream, Berjasa lacks the infrastructure of larger parties.

“While a strategist of Hamzah’s calibre might be able to attract new members and expand the party's influence, winning elections remains a different challenge entirely.

“Faced with the prospect of multi-cornered contests in GE16, maintaining his seat under a smaller banner would be a significant struggle, particularly within his own constituency,” he said.

While leading a party like Berjasa could offer Hamzah an undisputed leadership role, Azhar pointed out that it would take a considerable amount of time before the party could exert any meaningful influence on the national political landscape