Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad Sabri said the tussle between the two outfits could put PAS between a rock and a hard place, not only impacting Perikatan Nasional (PN) but also benefiting Umno.

The Global Asia Consulting analyst said there would be significant attention on the competition between Hamzah, a former Bersatu deputy president, and Ahmad Faizal Azumu, the party’s vice-president, due to their shared history.

Apart from having been in the same party, Hamzah and Faizal were once part of the federal government. They also have good relations with PAS.

However, Zaharuddin said Hamzah had an edge over Faizal in terms of support among Bersatu’s elected representatives, including Sungai Manik assemblyman Zainol Fadzi Paharudin, the chief opposition whip in the Perak state assembly.

Hamzah and Zainol were sacked from Bersatu earlier this year, at the height of a leadership tussle between the Larut MP and party president Muhyiddin Yassin.

Meanwhile, Faizal, also known as Peja, will rely on his legacy as a former menteri besar of Perak, a post he held between 2018 and 2020, Zaharuddin said.

“Hamzah may have stronger influence among PN leaders, but that does not necessarily translate into votes.

“This is why Perak will be the hotspot in the battle between Bersatu and the Reset movement,” he told FMT.

Zaharuddin added that the Hamzah-Faizal clash would put PAS in an awkward position due to its ties with both of them.

He said PN would ultimately be dragged into the conflict, weakening the opposition bloc.

Zaharuddin was referring to Hamzah’s push to join PN, either with a new party or by aligning with a component party – a move that could be blocked by Muhyiddin.

“This conflict will benefit Umno, particularly in the contest for Malay votes,” he said.

In the last general election, PN won 26 state seats while BN secured nine. Pakatan Harapan (PH) meanwhile won 24 seats. BN later formed a unity government in Perak with PH.