Harapan Plus: DAP, Amanah reject any deals with Hamzah
As the impasse between PKR chief Anwar Ibrahim and disputed Bersatu chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad continues, Amanah and DAP said they will reject any deal or attempt to form a deal with Perikatan Nasional Home Minister Hamzah Zainuddin (above).
In a joint statement, the two Harapan component parties said any attempt to reclaim Putrajaya must include the "five original" coalition members, including Mahathir’s faction of Bersatu and ally Warisan.
- UPDATED to include reference to former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak.
As the impasse between PKR chief Anwar Ibrahim and disputed Bersatu chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad continues, Amanah and DAP said they will reject any deal or attempt to form a deal with Perikatan Nasional Home Minister Hamzah Zainuddin (above).
In a joint statement, the two Harapan component parties said any attempt to reclaim Putrajaya must include the "five original" coalition members, including Mahathir’s faction of Bersatu and ally Warisan.
"Amanah and DAP are of the opinion that any combination of parties to restore the people’s mandate must include the five original Pakatan Harapan Plus parties that were voted in by the people on May 9, 2018.
"There should be no deal or attempt to form any deal with Hamzah, the chief conspirator of the Sheraton coup. Any formula that includes Hamzah but excludes Warisan and Mahathir’s faction is not acceptable and not based on principles,” read a statement by Amanah deputy president Salahuddin Ayub and DAP vice-chairperson M Kula Segaran.
The statement came in the wake of the revelation that Anwar had recently met with Hamzah, who is alleged to be one of the main movers behind the now infamous "Sheraton Move" that led to the collapse of the Harapan government.
However, Anwar claimed yesterday that his meeting with Hamzah, which was to discuss current affairs, Home Ministry matters and to convey the opposition's views, was reported to the Harapan presidential council last month.
He also claimed to have had another meeting with Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
Apart from Hamzah, who is also Bersatu secretary-general, Salahudin (above) and Kulasegaran added that there should be no attempt to form a government with Muhyiddin, former PKR deputy president Azmin Ali and former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak.
"Amanah and DAP maintain that Warisan and Mahathir’s faction of Bersatu are not our enemies. Instead, they are our allies in the fight against the kleptocratic PN alliance.
“In essence, we would like our allies to know who are actually friends and who are foes,” the two parties said.
In an interview with Malaysiakini last week, Mahathir had named Muhyiddin, Azmin and Hamzah as the main trio behind the coup that toppled the previous administration.
The informal alliance of Harapan Plus has been attempting to amass support to reclaim Putrajaya.
Negotiations have also been underway as to who would be prime minister, should Harapan Plus succeed.
It was also reported yesterday that during a meeting between disputed Bersatu chairperson Mahathir with Amanah, DAP and Warisan on June 25, it was proposed that Warisan president Shafie Apdal should be the prime ministerial candidate.
Mahathir had claimed that the decision to back Shafie (above) as PM, with Anwar and disputed Bersatu deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir as deputy prime ministers, had received the backing of DAP and Amanah.
However, DAP and Amanah have said they needed to consult their respective party's leadership and Harapan's presidential council on this matter.
In backing Shafie, Mahathir said he would no longer be in the running for the top post. In negotiations with Harapan, Mahathir initially proposed to return as prime minister for a record third time.
He had proposed to take up the mantle for six months before finally handing over the reins to Anwar. However, this was rejected by PKR, who insisted that Anwar should be the prime ministerial candidate.
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