[UPDATED] Pakatan exploring formal alliance with another opposition party

KUALA LUMPUR – Pakatan Harapan (PH) is looking at the possibility of a new partnership with another opposition outfit ahead of the forthcoming 15th general election, according to the coalition’s communication director Fahmi Fadzil.

Fahmi, who is PKR’s Lembah Pantai MP, would not state which party and said the matter still needed more discussion within PH.

“The way I look at it, there is room. But PKR has not discussed it,” Fahmi said when contacted.

Asked if the relationship with the other party would entail it becoming a component of PH or as a separate friendly entity, Fahmi reiterated that the matter had yet to be discussed by the coalition’s leadership.

“We focus on the seats we won and we will contest in these seats again, including the parliamentary seats in Ampang, Gombak, Tebrau, Batu Pahat and Segamat,” he said.

The aforementioned seats belong to former PKR lawmakers who have switched political allegiances following the infamous Sheraton Move in early 2020.

Fahmi, who is also PKR’s information chief, explained that no decision has been made yet regarding seat allocations.

This includes the 52 seats won by Bersatu in the last election.

“The process is still ongoing even with rumours that the election is expected to be held this October.

“The discussion is getting more lively among the leaders and it is not impossible that we will make an announcement soon,” he said.

In the PKR national congress held last month, secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution said the party will contest all seats that it had won in the last general election.

There has been speculation that the party PH might seek a tie-up with is Muda, which Fahmi would not confirm.

Fledgling party Muda, co-founded by Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, had worked with PH during the Johor election last March.

Despite several contentions between PKR and Muda, both parties consider themselves allies.

This was reiterated by Syed Saddiq in a recent interview with The Vibes where he stressed on the need for a political coalition to pose a credible line-up of leaders as well as a common vision. 

PH currently consists of four parties – PKR, DAP, Amanah and Sabah-based Upko.

Upko was accepted into the opposition pact in August last year.

This came about just after PH chairman and parliamentary opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had reiterated his call for the “big tent” approach to unite all opposition parties.

He said this was in line with the resolution made during the PH leadership retreat in April 2021, which stated the openness to negotiate and work together under the “big tent” approach for the aim of strengthening the opposition bloc. – The Vibes, August 13, 2022