PAKATAN Harapan (PH) has never agreed to discussions with Perikatan Nasional (PN), DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke said in shooting down an Amanah leader’s views that PH be open to talks with PN.

“All matters on the direction and cooperation with others outside the PH framework must be decided collectively by the PH presidential council.

“All parties in PH need to be aware that it is very difficult to cooperate with PN given the dark history we have gone through with PN component parties,” Loke said in a statement today.

Loke said it was only the personal view of Amanah deputy president Salahuddin Ayub that PH should be open to talks with Bersatu and PAS, as this was never agreed by the PH presidential council.

He was responding to Salahuddin’s remarks made in Johor yesterday urging the PH leadership to be open to discussions for the 15th general election with Bersatu and PAS, which are PN parties.

Salahuddin also mentioned the “big-tent” approach to unite opposition parties, saying this was the only way Umno and Barisan Nasional could be toppled.

The “dark history” Loke referred to is Bersatu’s pullout from PH in the Sheraton move in 2020, which caused the coalition to lose federal power.

Previously, DAP and PAS had also been allies in the Pakatan Rakyat coalition.

“I urge all leaders in PH to discuss any views they might have about political cooperation with other parties to do so in the PH presidential council, and not through public statements to prevent confusion among our members and supporters,” Loke said.

He added that DAP’s stand was that cooperation between PH and PN for GE15 does not arise, since PN is part of the ruling government.

The “big-tent” concept, Loke added, only extends to parties within the opposition bloc. – April 22, 2022.