Former Bersatu deputy president Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin has assumed leadership of Parti Wawasan Negara, the rebranded version of the Penang-based Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM).
The transition, which was agreed upon several months ago with no financial transaction involved, received unanimous support from PCM’s senior leadership.
PCM co-founder Huan Cheng Guan, who remains a vice-president of the new party and will stay active in Penang, confirmed there was no payment made in the takeover. “No payment was made. I’m still in the party as a vice-president, and I will also be active in Penang,” he said.
Huan, who co-founded PCM in 2009, said the party decided to rebrand after failing to gain significant political traction over the past 16 years. The move has immediately boosted the party’s profile, with Wawasan set to have 19 MPs and five assemblymen.
Wawasan currently holds six MPs, while 13 other Hamzah-aligned elected representatives remain suspended members of Bersatu. Existing PCM members will eventually be absorbed into the party’s state and division-level structures, though the immediate focus is on integrating the new parliamentary and state leadership.
The party has completed an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) and is notifying the Registrar of Societies of the name change.
Following the meeting, Wawasan unveiled its new central leadership, with Hamzah appointed president. Other recently sacked Bersatu leaders — Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah and Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal — have joined the leadership lineup. Veteran politician Tan Sri Dr Rais Yatim was appointed chairman.