PAKATAN Harapan (PH) will cooperate with existing opposition parties to face Barisan Nasional (BN) in the next general election, after its recent defeat in Johor as well as two previous state elections. 

In a statement, its presidential council reminded opposition parties not in the pact that contesting in PH seats would only increase the chances of BN winning. 

“We admitted our shortcomings in various issues such as logo, communication and information, multi-cornered fights among opposition parties, which gave PH only 12 seats. 

“We will work hard to address these issues and restrategise to face GE15.

“PH will work its hardest to bring together opposition parties with a common aim to reject greed and corruption and defeat BN.

“Malaysia must be saved from rampant corruption and abuse of power. PH will implement economic policies to address issues faced by the people including unemployment, rising prices and cost of living as well as the Covid-19 management,” said the council in the statement.

The statement was co-signed by PKR president and PH chief Anwar Ibrahim, Amanah’s president Mohamad Sabu, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation president Madius Tangau.

BN won 40 out of the 56 seats in Johor, DAP campaigning under the PH banner claimed 11 seats and PKR one. Notably, PKR dumped its PH allies to campaign under its own logo.

Muhyiddin Yassin’s Perikatan Nasional (PN) won three seats, with the former prime minister calling his alliance “underdogs”. Muda, which co-operated with PH, won one seat. 

None of the other new parties, including Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s Pejuang and PKR splinter Parti Bangsa Malaysia, won any seats. All these candidates lost their deposits.

The opposition would have triumphed in the Johor polls if it had been united and contested under a single banner.

Official election results showed that BN would have lost 17 seats if not for the split in opposition votes caused by opposition parties and PN contesting against each other.

PH then said it will soon be meeting with the prime minister on the bill to prevent party hopping. 

The anti-party hopping law is one of the reforms being discussed between PH leaders and Ismail Sabri Yaakob, purportedly in exchange for the opposition’s support in a motion of confidence, given Ismail’s slim parliamentary majority.

“We affirm that the bill must be tabled and passed as promised by the PM in this parliamentary meeting. The PH leadership would soon seek an appointment with the PM to discuss this matter,” it added. – March 16, 2022.