Hamzah unveils new party, Wawasan

PETALING JAYA: Former opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin has launched his new party, Parti Wawasan Negara, at the Reset convention in Tanah Merah, Kelantan, today.

Hamzah, the former Bersatu deputy president, said the name was given by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang and that the party will hold its first annual general assembly next week.

It is not immediately clear if the party is newly registered or a rebrand of an existing party.

“I want to announce here that our new party will hold its first AGM next week. This party that I want to announce today, its name was given by (Hadi).

“That party’s name is Parti Wawasan Negara,” he said at the convention, drawing cheers from the crowd of reportedly over 20,000.

Hamzah said Wawasan planned to cooperate with PAS, Gerakan and several other parties, hinting at joining the opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional.

This comes four months after the Larut MP was sacked by Bersatu at the height of a leadership tussle with party president Muhyiddin Yassin.

The convention was attended by top PAS leaders, including Hadi and vice-president Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, who is also the PN chairman.

Also present were Gerakan president Dominic Lau, Kelantan menteri besar Nassuruddin Daud and several Bersatu MPs aligned with Hamzah, including Bersatu vice-president Ronald Kiandee and Wanita chief Mas Ermieyati Samsudin.

Following the launch of his Reset movement in February, Hamzah was heavily linked with a takeover of the relatively unknown Parti Keluarga Malaysia.

He was later linked to a takeover of Berjasa and Parti Cinta Malaysia. Berjasa has applied to join PN.