Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal said Hamzah would have had no problem securing the number two spot as Faizal, then the deputy president, was “the butt of jokes”.

In a Facebook post, he said Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin knew that Faizal (known as Peja) was “an insignificant pawn that Hamzah could steamroll”.

Wan Fayhsal was responding to claims by Marzuki Mohamad, a former aide to Muhyiddin, that those aligned to Hamzah were to blame for the internal strife plaguing the party. Marzuki had also said that Muhyiddin had persuaded Faizal to make way for Hamzah to win the deputy presidency unopposed and to contest one of the three vice-president’s posts instead.

Muhyiddin had stated in July 2024 that Faizal was to give way to Hamzah in recognition of Hamzah’s contributions as Perikatan Nasional secretary-general and as the parliamentary opposition leader.

Wan Fayhsal also contended that Hamzah could have also defeated Azmin Ali, the party’s current secretary-general, if they had competed against each other.

He said Hamzah is a conservative whose views resonate with those of party members, a majority of whom are former Umno members and a victory for Hamzah would have been a sure thing.

Wan Fayhsal, a former Bersatu Supreme Council member, said Hamzah was well respected and revered by PN MPs, especially those from PAS.

He said Hamzah has the backing of 19 MPs and 20 assemblymen from Bersatu, whom Wan Fayhsal described as the party’s “main players”. “We were the ones who attended meetings, drew up strategies and policies and managed the party for close to five years. We were not cheerleaders”.