BERSATU has a special role in drawing support from rural folk and Felda settlers, two segments that are not historically receptive to the opposition, said Pakatan Harapan chief secretary Saifuddin Abdullah.

However, he said, all Pakatan Harapan components have equal status.

“That’s why we have many deputies and vice-presidents in the hierarchy. We try to divide the responsibilities and roles.

“However, we admit that Bersatu has a unique role, which is to gain support from Malay voters, in particular, from Felda and rural areas,” he said in Parliament today.

He was responding to a statement by Bersatu’s new policy and strategy bureau deputy chairman, Wan Saiful Wan Jan, who told a forum last night that Bersatu needs to lead PH in order to convince Malay voters to support the opposition pact.

Wan Saiful said Malay voters need to be convinced that their interests, or the Malay agenda, will not be sidelined, should PH win Putrajaya.

“You have to deal with reality. I don’t know what the ideal situation is, whether PKR leads or Amanah or DAP. Whatever it is, it doesn’t sell.

“In order to create real political change in the country and to make that change possible, Bersatu has to lead. And, Bersatu must take that mantle of leadership and turn it into something that can work.”

The former chief executive officer and founder of think tank Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs said Bersatu needs to be seen as championing the Malay agenda to overcome the narrative that the opposition would erode Malay rights should PH form the government.

To a question from the floor, on whether a PH-led government would reform Bumiputera privileges, Wan Saiful said the Malay agenda will always be a part of Malaysian politics.

“When I was an activist, I was always thinking about how I would reform the Malay agenda.

“But now that I’ve entered politics, it means that I have more or less resigned to the fact that this reform you are talking about will not happen in my lifetime.” – March 7, 2018.