KUALA LUMPUR – A meeting between Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin and Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was meant to discuss Malay political unity, not to engineer a political realignment, Bersatu supreme council member Wan Saiful Wan Jan said.
The Tasek Gelugor MP said discussions between leaders from different parties should not automatically be viewed with suspicion if they concern cooperation on issues affecting the Malay community.
“I think it is normal for leaders to meet and talk. The objective was to unite Malay parties,” he said, dismissing speculation that the meeting signalled any shift in political allegiance.
Wan Saiful told Berita Harian that dialogue across party lines should not be misconstrued as political manoeuvring or attempts to undermine existing coalitions.
“The intention was not to create any political alignment or realignment. The intention was to unite Malay parties,” he said.
The issue surfaced after Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin cited Hamzah’s alleged meeting with Zahid as among the factors behind disciplinary action against the former deputy party president.
Muhyiddin, in revealing the meeting as part of a so-called “Bangkok Move”, alleged that Hamzah had planned to become deputy prime minister by forming a coalition with other parties.
Wan Saiful, however, maintained that engagement between leaders across political blocs is not unusual and should be seen in the context of efforts to strengthen cooperation among Malay-based parties.
In January, Zahid confirmed he had met leaders from PAS and Bersatu to discuss Malay unity through what he described as a “grand collaboration”. He said the discussions also involved several other Malay-based political parties. – March 5, 2026