Pejuang optimistic of polls, if Perikatan collaboration possible

GEORGE TOWN – Pejuang is now optimistic about contesting in the upcoming six state elections on August 12, provided it is allowed to collaborate with the opposition-based Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition. 

This comes after former Pejuang chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad held a meeting with PN chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin last night. 

The Malay-based party believes by joining with PN, there can be straight fights in Malay-dominant seats in states, namely Penang, Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu, Selangor and Negri Sembilan. 

Its president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, who is 97-year-old Mahathir’s son, said that Pejuang is keen to contest in four seats – two each in Kedah and Selangor – but this depends on the concurrent negotiations with PN. 

“There is now optimism and hope following last night’s meeting between (Pejuang founder) Tun Dr Mahathir and Tan Sri Muhyiddin (Yassin),” he said. 

Mukhriz told journalists this after attending the inaugural public lecture by political scientist Sivamurugan Pandian following the latter’s elevation to a full professorship status by Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) at Dewan Budaya here today. 

Mukhriz said he was led to believe initially that PN had rejected Pejuang’s application to join them based on social media postings. 

But there might be a change of heart by PN following discussions with Mahathir, said Mukhriz.

Both Mahathir and Muhyiddin, who is also Bersatu president, met each other yesterday under the premise of supporting the former’s Malay Proclamation for the community. 

Mukhriz also said that Pejuang had sought to work with the ruling Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, but the requests had fallen on “deaf ears.” 

“We are quite flexible as we know where we stand politically,” said Mukhriz in reference to the apparent disastrous defeats that the young Malay-centric party had endured during the last general election where all of its candidates lost. 

Both Mukhriz and Mahathir also lost their deposits in the same election. 

Previously, Mukhriz had met PN leaders such as Muhyiddin, Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan, Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar and Datuk Seri Muhammed Sanusi Md Nor but there were no breakthroughs in the negotiations. 

He is also keeping an open mind about personally contesting in the state elections but the objective is to no longer split the Malay votes. 

“I am undecided yet but when the time is right, I will decide,” he said. 

After the last two elections, there was a noticeable split in Malay votes, eroding the community’s political dominance in the country, Mukhriz claimed. – The Vibes, July 5, 2023