GERAKAN Tanah Air (GTA) can say goodbye to its hope of combining with other coalitions to take 100 parliamentary seats in the upcoming general election, after being snubbed by Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH), observers have said.

They told The Malaysian Insight that without the backing of either coalition, it would be impossible for GTA to hit its 100-seat target because it would be competing against PN and PH, which are more established and popular.

GTA chairman and former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has made no secret of his desire to bring down Barisan Nasional (BN) and had been hoping for support from either PN or PH to do it.

Dr Mahathir, the MP for Langkawi, said GTA together with PN and PH could win at least 100 seats in the election, but Anwar Ibrahim and Muhyiddin Yassin, his opposite numbers at PH and PN respectively, both rebuffed these advances.

“It is impossible, the number is too big for GTA,” Ilham Centre executive director Hisommudin Bakar said.

“Plus, GTA is not aggressive enough to place itself among PN and PH. If is contesting, it is way behind the opposition coalition, not least BN.”

“GTA will not be able to get its fair share of voters. Even though it made the effort to approach PN and PH, it is too weak,” he added.

On Thursday, Muhyiddin said PN was happy with its current line-up for the November 19 election and there was no room for GTA.

This was despite Dr Mahathir’s statement earlier in the day, when he said there was still time for a tie-up.

“There were no discussions. It is not that we do not want the co-operation, but it has been decided to move forward with what has been arranged since the beginning,” Muhyiddin said after the PN presidential council meeting at Bersatu headquarters.

Meanwhile, Universiti Malaya’s Prof Awang Azman Awang Pawi said the rejection was no great surprise because the coalition view Dr Mahathir as a liability.

“Yet, Dr Mahathir wants to work with PH and PN because he knows going it alone is not an option.

“Even so, it is too late for GTA.

“PH and PN have decided to move forward. PKR cannot trust GTA, especially Dr Mahathir.

“PN, on the other hand, sees a pact with GTA providing little benefit,” he said.

PKR information chief Fahmi Fadzil said Anwar had made it clear that he would not co-operate with GTA unless Dr Mahathir backed him as prime minister, should the coalition win.

Meanwhile, Dr Mahathir continues to be evasive about the issue, having said a number of times that he did not want the job again, but would take it reluctantly if it was the people’s wish he do so.

For Badrul Hisyam Ismail of Iman Research, Dr Mahathir’s hope of winning 100 seats might seem far fetched, but it is still early to predict what the voters will do on polling day.

He said GTA may look weak, but there is also no guarantee that voters will back BN this time.

“It is a big number for GTA but it is early to tell. We will see what happened on nomination day or when the campaign period starts.

“I don’t think it is about BN being strong. People are not interested in Dr Mahathir anymore.

“He has lost his appeal and it is only him in GTA. The other names are not relevant.

“While it is hard for GTA, let’s see what happens during the campaign period,” he said.

Mazlan Ali of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia said GTA needs the strength from either PH or PN to do well in the election.

However, he was surprised Muhyiddin had turned Dr Mahathir down.

“GTA is depending on PH or PN. Even if they contest in Langkawi, Kubang Pasu and Jerlun it is not a guarantee GTA can defend the seats unless they co-operate with PH or PN.

“It is quite a surprise that PN did not want GTA as a partner, because they used to be in a party together. Now it is GTA all alone and the 100 seats is only a dream,” the academic said. – October 30, 2022.