PN rejected Pejuang over seat allocations, says PAS deputy president

Perikatan Nasional rejected Pejuang’s application to join the coalition as it did not want to complicate seat allocations for the six state elections, says PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.

(FMT) – “Elections are close. We discussed how accepting them (Pejuang) would complicate the ongoing negotiations for seats,” he told FMT.

Tuan Ibrahim also said Pejuang’s status as a “small party” was another factor. He said the party led by former Kedah menteri besar Mukhriz Mahathir would not help PN in its ambitions to “unite the ummah”.

“They are not a major (Malay) party like Umno and Bersatu. Even though it contests in elections, it loses almost every contest, even losing their deposits,” he said.

In the last general election (GE15), every Pejuang candidate, including Mukhriz and former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, lost their deposits.

Pejuang secretary-general, Amiruddin Hamzah, said the party was disappointed that PN’s leadership did not share its belief against splitting Malay votes.

Tuan Ibrahim said he did not rule out the possibility that Pejuang only sought to join PN to improve its chances of retaining state seats it held in Kedah and Selangor.

Mukhriz is the assemblyman for Jitra in Kedah. Pejuang also holds the Anak Bukit seat. In Selangor, the party holds the Jeram and Kuang seats.

“I believe they know they do not stand a chance if they go it alone and this is why they are looking for partners,” he said.

Tuan Ibrahim, the Kubang Kerian MP, said it was better for Pejuang to be dissolved and for its members to join PAS or Bersatu to continue their struggle for the Malays and Islam.

“That’s better than having many small parties,” he said.