‘Nice to know’ Pejuang keen on joining Perikatan: Peja

KUALA LUMPUR – Bersatu deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu has expressed his willingness to consider Pejuang’s bid to join the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition. 

Speaking to The Vibes, the former Perak menteri besar said that it is “nice to know” that Pejuang, led by president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, is interested in joining PN, which is ostensibly the “better alternative” compared to other existing coalitions. 

“Bersatu is a party that strives to be the voice of Malay struggles and rights while advocating for anti-corruption efforts. 

“Maybe the decision (to join PN) was made because they (Pejuang) know that PN upholds these ideals better than Pakatan Harapan (PH) or Barisan Nasional (BN),” Faizal, who is commonly known as Peja, said when contacted.

He added that while Pejuang’s application might be raised in a Bersatu supreme council meeting tonight, a final decision on the matter lies in the hands of the PN supreme council, which has not yet set a date for its next meeting.  

“Whether or not Pejuang is accepted (to be part of PN) is also subject to discussions with leaders from other PN component parties, namely PAS and Gerakan,” he said.

Faizal’s backing of Pejuang comes after fellow party member Faiz Na’aman voiced his objection to the Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin-led coalition potentially opening its doors to the party, citing his past unfavourable experience with Mukhriz. 

The Bersatu supreme council member also labelled the move as a “desperate, opportunistic and unprincipled one coming from a party that lost terribly during the last general election (GE15).” 

During GE15, Pejuang’s abysmal performance saw all of its candidates, including Mukhriz and party founder Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, losing their deposits.

Former Pejuang Youth chief Abu Hafiz Salleh Hudin, who resigned from his post following the party’s failure to win a single parliamentary constituency in GE15, also quit the party after Mukhriz announced today that he had written to PN to join its ranks. 

“I respect all the plans and strategic decisions made by Pejuang’s leadership. However, the decision to write an official letter to be a PN component party goes against my personal and academic views, which oppose extremism and misuse of the Malay-Muslim narrative. 

“I am taking the personal initiative to speak out against any openly made narratives manipulating race and religion, which have been used to the extreme by PN, especially PAS,” Hafiz said in a statement. 

Last month, Dr Mahathir and 12 other party members announced their exit from Pejuang after Mukhriz decided to withdraw the party from the Gerakan Tanah Air coalition. 

Dr Mahathir, a former two-time prime minister, has since joined Putra, along with former Federal Territories Pejuang chief Datuk Seri Khairuddin Abu Hassan, who resigned from his party post last year due to a loss of confidence in Mukhriz’s leadership. – The Vibes, March 2, 2023