PEJUANG’S application to join Perikatan Nasional (PN) was rejected as the coalition did not want to complicate seat allocations for the six state elections, PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said.

Tuan Ibrahim said coalition members had discussed the complications that would arise in accepting the application.

“Elections are close. We discussed how accepting them (Pejuang) would complicate the ongoing negotiations for seats,” he was quoted by news portal Free Malaysia Today.

Tuan Ibrahim said Pejuang was a small party and 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 was quoted as saying in the report.

The coalition had announced its decision to reject Pejuang last week but did not offer a reason for the rejection.

Party president Mukhriz Mahathir had announced the party wanted to join PN on March 2.

Pejuang was wiped out in the last general electio, but the party still has representatives in the Kedah and Selangor legislative assemblies. 

Apart from Mukhriz, the party has Amiruddin Hamzah, who represents Anak Bukit in the Kedah assembly. 

In Selangor, the party counts Mohd Shaid Rosli (Jeram) and Sallehudin Amiruddin (Kuang) among its ranks. 

Batang Kali representative and state chief Harumaini Omar, however, was expelled for failing to attend sittings for six months without valid reasons. 

Pejuang, a Bersatu splinter, was established by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad in August 2020 following the ex-Langkawi lawmaker’s ouster from Bersatu. 

Dr Mahathir, however, stepped down as chairman in December last year after the party’s miserable performance in the November 19 polls, in which all its candidates lost their deposits. 

Following this, Mukhriz announced Pejuang’s withdrawal from the Gerakan Tanah Air coalition, which it had forged ahead of the general election, to focus on strengthening the party. 

Mukhriz said the decision was made after considering the views of delegates at its second general assembly. – March 24, 2023.