Malaysia

Hamzah back in the saddle as opposition leader after brief shake-up

Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul confirmed that the Larut MP resumed the role on June 18, marking yet another leadership switch within weeks.

Updated 3 months ago · Published on 22 Jun 2026 11:05AM

Hamzah back in the saddle as opposition leader after brief shake-up
The position has now reverted to Hamzah, effectively restoring the previous leadership arrangement. - June 22, 2026

A SHORT-LIVED reshuffle at the top of Malaysia’s opposition bloc has come full circle, with Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin returning as Leader of the Opposition.

Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul confirmed that the Larut MP resumed the role on June 18, marking yet another leadership switch within weeks.

Hamzah had initially held the post until May 20, before it was handed to Kemaman MP Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, who served from May 21 to June 10.

The position has now reverted to Hamzah, effectively restoring the previous leadership arrangement.

Johari extended his congratulations to Hamzah on his return, while also acknowledging Samsuri’s brief stint in the role.

The leadership reset comes after PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang announced on June 13 that the opposition coalition had decided to retain Hamzah as its parliamentary frontman.

The decision was made during the RESET Malaysia Convention in Tanah Merah, signalling a consensus within Perikatan Nasional to stabilise its leadership.

With Hamzah back at the helm, the opposition appears to be closing ranks after a period of internal reshuffling — at least for now. – June 22, 2026

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