FORMER Barisan Nasional component party Gerakan has been accepted into the Perikatan Nasional coalition.

“The Perikatan supreme council has agreed to accept Gerakan as one of the component parties,” said the ruling pact’s chairman Muhyiddin Yassin in a letter dated January 29.

The letter, addressed to Gerakan president Dominic Lau, said the party will strengthen the coalition, which also consists of Bersatu, PAS, STAR and SAPP.

“Hopefully Gerakan will prioritise PN’s interest and contribute to the racial solidarity (in the country),” said the prime minister.

Lau, who took over from Mah Siew Keong after the party’s disastrous 14th general election performance, said that Gerakan had applied to join Perikatan last September.

He said in a statement today that Gerakan would work with other PN partners to ensure that the people’s welfare and social-economy development.

“Gerakan believes in unity in politics. Politicians must be united and put the nation above self.

“I am confident that this new pact (PN) will focus more on unity and understanding,” he said.

In the 14th general election, Gerakan performed badly, losing all 11 parliamentary and 31 state seats it contested. 

Following this, on June 23, 2018, the party announced that it was quitting Barisan Nasional (BN) to play the role of an independent and constructive opposition party.  

Gerakan was one of the BN founding parties in 1973 after the Alliance rebranded itself following the 1969 elections. – February 11, 2021.