In a Facebook post, Tun Faisal said the Perikatan Nasional (PN) Supreme Council decided on Feb 22 that Hamzah should vacate the post since he had been sacked from Bersatu.

He said that Hamzah and the others sacked from Bersatu were now independent MPs and not part of PN, and that PAS had been asked to name a replacement as soon as possible.

“With his expulsion, Hamzah no longer has locus standi to represent Bersatu or PN in any capacity, including issuing statements or carrying out official matters on behalf of PN and the opposition bloc,” he said.

Tun Faisal added that according to Westminster conventions for the opposition leader’s post, the role hinges on an MP’s party membership.

He said Hamzah’s continued issuance of statements as opposition leader made it seem like he was still representing PN.

Hamzah was sacked from Bersatu on Feb 13 at the height of a bitter leadership feud with party president Muhyiddin Yassin.

PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan previously said PN components had agreed for the Islamic party to take over the opposition leader’s role, adding however that PAS needed time to identify its candidate.

Last week, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul said Hamzah remained the opposition leader as PN had not notified him of any changes.

Hamzah was appointed opposition leader after the unity government was formed in 2022, after being proposed by PAS despite Muhyiddin still being PN chairman at the time.

Separately, former Bersatu leader Wan Saiful Wan Jan challenged Tun Faisal to name Muhyiddin or party vice-president Radzi Jidin as the party’s candidate for opposition leader.

“Previously, he was bold enough to nominate Muhyiddin as prime minister – surely he would dare to nominate him as opposition leader now,” he said.

“Or, at the very least, nominate Radzi, Bersatu’s main operator in Parliament today,” said the Tasek Gelugor MP who was sacked from Bersatu last year.