SUNGAI PETANI – Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Pejuang candidates are a viable option for voters in the coming election as it is fielding professionals and non-politicians.
“None of us are corruptible and for the first time, a coalition is contesting with candidates from civil societies, academia and professional ranks, not full-time politicians.
“We are professionals with abilities to develop the country,” the Pejuang chairman and head of the Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) coalition said at a campaign event at the Cinta Sayang Resort last night.
As for the other coalitions competing in the 15th general election, Dr Mahathir said Perikatan Nasional (PN) is “full of backstabbers”, while Barisan Nasional (BN) is “proven corrupt and incompetent”.
On his former coalition, Pakatan Harapan (PH), which he led in the 2018 polls and became its prime minister after winning federal power, Dr Mahathir said it now has a leader who “goes around making empty promises”.
“So, the three coalitions are up to no good. But we have options in Pejuang,” said the 97-year-old who is defending the Langkawi federal seat.
Dr Mahathir formed Pejuang after the PH government collapsed in 2020.
Present last night were the Pejuang candidates for the Sg Petani parliamentary seat, Datuk Marzuki Yahya, and for the Merbok seat, Datuk Mohd Mohsin Abdul Razak.
In a press conference later, Dr Mahathir reiterated that Pejuang would rather be an opposition party than work with BN, PN or PH.
He added that if Pejuang can find allies in Sabah, Sarawak and other independents in the peninsula, it has a chance at forming a government without the other three coalitions.
This general election has the most candidates ever, at 132 in 108 parliamentary seats and 23 state seats and one in the Bugaya by-election.
Pejuang-GTA is contesting 116 parliamentary seats.
On PAS and reports that its influence is gaining momentum in the north here, Dr Mahathir said a dominant PAS will be bad for the country as the Islamist party abuses religion to secure votes and influence.
He said PAS had extremists within its ranks who will cause Malaysia to regress.
As such, Pejuang and GTA is “the best hope” to restore the country, as the coalition has capable grassroots members and sincere leaders, he said. – The Vibes, November 12, 2022
