PEJUANG is hoping to work with Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the Kedah and Selangor elections, which must be held by September, party insiders said.

“The idea was broached two months ago; the partnership should be something like PH plus Pejuang,” a source told The Malaysian Insight.

“We intend to run for at least two seats in Selangor, two in Kedah.”

Pejuang has two seats each in Kedah and Selangor.

In Kedah, its president Mukhriz Mahathir is the Jitra representative while secretary-general Amiruddin Hamzah is the Anak Bukit assemblyman.

Mohd Shaid Rosli (Jeram) and Harumaini Omar (Batang Kali) hold the two seats in Selangor.

Another source said it would be difficult for Pejuang to defend the four seats after the party’s poor performance in the general election last year.

He said Pejuang was not looking to join PH but to work with the coalition in the polls.

“But we have to remember, Umno is in PH. If PH and Umno were to work together, Pejuang would not have a chance in the elections,” he said.

Pejuang withdrew from Gerakan Tanah Air, a coalition of small Malay parties, last month.

Mukhriz at the time said the move was to allow Pejuang to focus on strengthening the party.

Some of Pejuang’s top leaders, including deputy president Marzuki Yahya, have resigned from the party since it lost all 126 of the seats it contested in the 15th general election in November.

Dr Mahathir Mohamad relinquished the party chair the following month.

Other senior party leaders who have left are youth leader Dr Abu Hafiz Salleh Huddin and central executive council member Abu Bakar Yahya.

Pejuang Federal Territories chairman Khairuddin Abu Hassan resigned after Mukhriz proposed working with PH.

Kedah PH chairman Mahfuz Omar told The Malaysian Insight that the proposal for the coalition to work with its old partner must be brought before the leadership.

“We in the state will do as the central leadership says.

“So far there is no agreement,” the Amanah vice-president said. – February 6, 2023.