KUALA LUMPUR – The opposition's formidable base in having 108 parliamentary seats demonstrates that it has the strength to forge a grand coalition to face the Perikatan Nasional-led government in the next general election.
Amanah deputy president and Pulai MP Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub said the strength in numbers is evident among parliamentarians in Pakatan Harapan (PH) parties and their allies in the opposition.
Refuting any notion that the opposition is weak, he said: “I am confident that it is strong because our allies have mentioned that we have 108 (seats), which is a strong base," he said.
Salahuddin, who is also former agriculture and agro-based industry minister, said this during a dialogue programme titled "Opposition dialogue: political direction of the country in the lead up to GE15" on Astro Awani last night.
The discussion, moderated by Awani news anchor Luqman Hariz, also featured Pejuang president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, DAP national organising secretary Anthony Loke, PKR vice-president Tian Chua and Warisan Wirawati (young women’s wing) chief Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis.
Earlier in the dialogue, Loke had noted that, despite PH losing Putrajaya to the PN pact due to a "betrayal" earlier this year, the opposition is still strong due to the number of seats it holds in the Dewan Rakyat.
"It's a situation where the government needed to harness every single one of their parliamentarians in every vote. This has never happened in the Malaysian Parliament," he said.
However, the various opposition parties need to have a collective strategy to ensure that this strength is focused towards winning the next election.
"We cannot deny the differences between the leadership of the (PH) parties. But we in DAP want to see how we can consolidate our position," Loke said.
Salahuddin, meanwhile, pointed out that PH alone possesses 91 seats, while the remaining are held by its friends Pejuang, Warisan and Muda, making the total opposition strength 108 seats in total.
"It's a strength that has been proven," he said.
He added that the grand coalition aims to work with some Umno members to obtain bigger numbers, "but this has yet to succeed".
"What exists is a combination of PH and its allies that have proven their commitment to toppling the backdoor government – and we have 108 seats,” he said.
Clarifying his stance on the grand coalition's willingness to accept Umno members, Salahuddin said he was open to the idea of allowing any individual who wants to be part of the fold to join.
"So, with this strength, why don't we build a grand coalition? It has been proven that a grand coalition is not an illusion. It's been proven through our commitment in Parliament," he said.
"That is why, when we mention the grand coalition – an idea that I brought forward – it is based on the decision of the (PH) presidential council that we will not be enemies with anyone. PH's doors have never been closed," he added.
Despite this openness, however, Salahuddin said PH has set parameters to exclude those currently facing trial in courts for graft offences.
"We have principles that we have stated clearly – that we will not compromise with the kleptocracy group. But for those who have the potential to be with us, the doors are open to achieve our objective because the backdoor government cannot be left to its devices.
"We cannot in any way accept the validity of them taking the government. Therefore, we will battle them to reach the finishing line, and we will need the strength of a grand coalition that we will have formed, together with those who agree with us on the (in)validity of the government."
On the structure of the grand coalition, Salahuddin said PH already consists of big “assets”, such as Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (PKR-Port Dickson), Lim Guan Eng (DAP-Bagan) and Mohamad Sabu (Amanah-Kota Raja), alongside leaders in allied parties such as Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal (Warisan-Semporna), Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (Muda-Muar) and Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir (Pejuang-Jerlun).
Salahuddin said the grand coalition would not entail a new opposition structure.
“We only need the base of PH and we will collaborate with other friends,” he said.
“We are open to those who want to join us in the grand coalition. For those who don't, there are other ways (to cooperate), such as through electoral pacts,” he said, adding that people want the opposition parties to have solidarity in facing the next general election.
He added, as in the last election in which PH had selected its prime ministerial candidate beforehand, similarly moves would be made for the next nationwide polls. – The Vibes, December 30, 2020
