Faizal claimed that the Larut MP wanted to hold on to the post despite reportedly agreeing to relinquish it to make way for a PAS leader, Utusan Malaysia reported.

The former Perak menteri besar also claimed Hamzah was trying to court opposition MPs for their support to stay on as opposition leader.

“Technically, he can remain as opposition leader if the majority of opposition MPs want him to stay in the role. That may be why he hasn’t submitted his resignation to the Dewan Rakyat speaker,” he said.

Faizal, also known as Peja, said this was blatant disrespect to PAS’s intention to take on the opposition leader’s post, and that the Islamic party already had a candidate lined up.

“It’s unreasonable for Hamzah to assume he’s still the opposition leader and not send in his resignation letter.

“I hope he doesn’t undermine the statements by the Perikatan Nasional (PN) secretary-general and chairman that he is no longer the opposition leader,” the former Tambun MP said.

On April 12, PN chairman Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar said Hamzah was no longer the opposition leader and that he had instructed coalition secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan to send an official letter informing the Dewan Rakyat speaker of the vacancy.

However, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul said he had yet to be informed of Hamzah’s resignation. As such, he technically remains the opposition leader.

Hamzah was sacked from Bersatu in February at the height of a leadership tussle with party president Muhyiddin Yassin.

Later that month, Samsuri was appointed PN chairman to replace Muhyiddin who resigned from the post. It was also agreed that PAS would take over the opposition leader’s post.