PEJUANG or “fighter” in Malay is the name of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s new party.

He has launched Pejuang to take on his old party Bersatu and its allies in the Perikatan Nasional coalition.

The name and rationale for it was announced in a poem by Mahathir on his chedet.cc blog.

Dr Mahathir announced the name of his new party five days after he said he would be forming a new party.

Pejuang is expected to make its electoral debut in the Slim by-election and is scheduled to name a candidate for the Perak state seat tonight.

In his poem, Dr Mahathir spoke of how Bersatu, a party he had formed with Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in 2016, had been established to save Malaysia from kleptocrats.

Bersatu joined the Pakatan Harapan (PH) alliance and in the 2018 general election made history by bringing down the scandal-ridden Barisan Nasional – a coalition made up of parties that had ruled Malaysia since its independence.

In late February, Muhyiddin took Bersatu out of PH and formed a new alliance with Umno, PAS and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), now known as Perikatan Nasional.

In his poem, Dr Mahathir said Bersatu was hijacked.

“We formed a party to save us.

Our party was hijacked to save our enemies.

That is Bersatu.

Formed to fight the kleptocrats.

Now changed to save the kleptocrats.”

Dr Mahathir said Bersatu was hijacked and strayed from its original aim because its leaders wanted position and money.

Bersatu’s struggle now is based on personal interest, he said.

“Because of position and money.

The Original struggle was abandoned.

The new struggle is based on “what’s in it for me”.

Using politics for personal gain, he said, is what will ruin the Malay community.

“If there is one thing that will ruin the Malays.

“It is putting one’s personal interests first.”

Dr Mahathir said Pejuang is formed to fight corruption, restore Malay dignity and protect the community’s rights.

“Our party was formed due to this awareness.

Corruption destroys a community.

Corruption destroys the Malays.

If you want positions and money.

Choose another party.

If you want to restore dignity.

If you want to protect our rights.

Choose our party.

Choose PEJUANG.” – August 12, 2020.