YET-TO-BE registered Pejuang is not in a hurry to join a grand coalition of opposition parties in next general election, said its founder Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The former prime minister said the party will be a third force and will look at the objectives set by the opposition coalition.

“We are going to be the third force. We will look at what they stand for.

“We are not committed to join the grand coalition,” said the Langkawi MP after a Pejuang event in Shah Alam.

A grand opposition coalition was first raised by Pejuang’s pro-tem deputy president Marzuki Yahya and Warisan president Mohd Shafie Apdal.

Warisan is an ally of Pakatan Harapan, while Pejuang is formed by Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his supporters following their exit from Bersatu.

Last week, PH parties agreed principally to form a grand opposition coalition which will be finalised when the presidential council meets.

Amanah communications director Khalid Samad said his party was the one which mooted the idea but it was also supported by DAP and PKR, the other two parties that make up PH.

“What we want to push is for the 108 MPs who are firm with us in going against Perikatan Nasional (PN),” said Khalid.

The 108 MPs in the opposition, apart from PH, include Pejuang, Sabah-based Warisan and independent members of Parliament.

Some lawmakers have mooted for a coalition between the five parties but this has not taken off following a tense stand-off between Dr Mahathir and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Dr Mahathir was also asked what was the next move for his party if the Registrar of Societies (RoS) failed to approve its application as a political party.
“We have plan B but that is secret. Just like last time the government (Barisan Nasional) refused to register PH as a coalition, we know how to do things,” said Dr Mahathir. 

Pejuang filed an application at the high court on December 10 to order the RoS to make a decision on the party’s registration.

RoS is a unit under the Home Ministry and the current minister is Bersatu’s Hamzah Zainudin.

Pejuang was formed by former Bersatu members who fell out with the leadership after the party withdrew from PH in late February, triggering the collapse of the then government. – December 31, 2020.