YOUTH leaders from opposition parties want their party leaders to return to the negotiating table and renew cooperation to challenge the ruling Perikatan Nasional (PN) pact.

Amanah youth chief Shazni Munir Ithin said the call comes following the opposition’s failure to reject Budget 2021 at the policy and committee levels.

“We call on all opposition factions from Amanah, PKR and DAP (part of Pakatan Harapan) together with Warisan, Upko PSB, Muda and Pejuang to return to the negotiating table and discuss new lines and terms of cooperation.

“At the same time, restore the people’s confidence in the real strength of the opposition parties because the current situation requires a strong opposition that can uphold their wishes and desires,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

The opposition needs to build momentum and reject differences and reunite if it really wants to overthrow the PN government, said Shazni.

“As of today, there is no ministry allocation that can be rejected at the committee level. In fact, in each split-vote session, PH and the other opposition only reached the range of 95 to 97.

“Although this failure is frustrating as the people generally placed high hopes that this budget will be rejected, we are optimistic that a new momentum and strength can be built when all opposition parties focus on defeating the PN government, which clearly has failed to get the people out of the pandemic,” he said.

Agreeing with Shazni is DAP youth vice-chief Muhammad Shakir Amir, who said whether or not the opposition parties like it, they need to work together and unite again.

He said the parties should immediately head to the negotiating table and forge a new cooperation to face the next elections.

“For me, Anwar Ibrahim not only needs to be the leader of the opposition for PH but also for everyone. We need the cooperation of PH as the biggest opposition bloc to find a way to renegotiate with Pejuang, Warisan, Muda and independent MPs if we want to go far.

“Because we will not go far if we are not united. This is not a new formula for the opposition (to cooperate). Like it or not, we have to do it, too. We used to cooperate with PAS even though it had a different ideology, and then with Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s Bersatu,” he said.

The agreement in PH was questioned after the opposition failed to get the support of 15 MPs for a split vote when the budget was tabled for a vote at the policy level two weeks ago.

Some PH MPs revealed that Anwar gave a last-minute order to allow the budget to pass, despite a decision made by the PH presidential council a day before the budget vote to reject it.

Anwar’s last-minute instructions in the Dewan Rakyat sparked confusion when at the same time, Pokok Sena MP Mahfuz Omar from Amanah proposed a split vote.

Six Amanah MPs supported the split vote along with four Pejuang representatives led by Dr Mahathir and one each from DAP, PKR and Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB).

Anwar was also reported to have asked his colleagues the opportunity to fulfil his promise to overthrow PN within seven days after failing to reject the budget at the policy level last week.

However, until now, PH has still failed to reject the ministries’ budget allocations when presented in the Dewan Rakyat.

Warisan also sent a signal when all eight MPs, including party president Mohd Shafie Apdal, agreed not to participate in the budget debate and voting at the committee level which began last week.

PH, comprising PKR, DAP, Amanah, Bersatu and Warisan, split as a coalition after Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin pulled out his party and formed an alliance with the opposition from Umno, PAS and Barisan Nasional in March this year.

This was after Dr Mahathir resigned n as the prime minister.

After the PH government collapsed, PH 2.0 was formed but there was a dispute over the prime ministerial candidate when Dr Mahathir rejected Anwar as his successor, and suggested Shafie.

Dr Mahathir has also formed a new party, Pejuang, which has four MPs, after being ousted from Bersatu.

PKR, Pejuang must work together

Asked if the proposal for a new cooperation was also welcomed by PKR as it involved Pejuang, Shazni said he is confident that it should not be a problem.

“We are confident as long as PH is united in moving the agenda together, negotiating with anyone (is not a problem.”

Pejuang youth chief Abu Hafiz Salleh Hudin also said his wing is open to support the proposal.

He said the opposition bloc has an advantage because PN has a slim majority but the opposition has failed to overthrow the government because of a lack of unity.

“The situation in and outside of Dewan Rakyat is very detrimental to the opposition when they are not able to make a consistent decision and are not able to threaten the government at this time.

“What is best for everyone is to discuss again and create a united opposition,” he said.

Abu Hafiz also said Pejuang youth will support efforts to promote younger party members as part of reforms.

“We respect the likes of Anwar, Dr Mahathir, Mohamad Sabu, Lim Guan Eng, Lim Kit Siang.

“But in this situation, it is necessary we ask them to be the main advisers and put forward young leaders, such as Mukhriz Mahathir, Salahuddin Ayub, and maybe other figures like Anthony Loke and others from DAP to discuss how to cooperate and reshape just like how they did in GE14.”

Abu Hafiz said Amanah and DAP must intervene to get PKR and Pejuang to sit at the same table again.

He admits there is a long-running feud between PKR and Pejuang, which may cause a difficult situation, but it can be reduced with the involvement of Amanah and DAP.

“We are trying to give space to Amanah and DAP for them to explore the opportunities available. With the dispute between PKR and Pejuang, especially from PKR youth, we think our party is not suitable to be on the same stage with PKR.

“So, I think my friends from Amanah and DAP can start the discussion.” – December 14, 2020.