GERAKAN Tanah Air (GTA) will not join Perikatan Nasional (PN) as reported, its secretary-general Marzuki Yahya said.

He said the matter was never discussed by the coalition.

“The news is not true. Furthermore, the matter was never discussed… (the report) is not true at all,” Marzuki told The Malaysia Insight.

He, however, confirmed that PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang did meet GTA chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad, but claimed that the meeting took place immediately after the November general election.

“(The meeting) did not directly discuss party matters but focused more on the dwindling Malay political power and the fate of the nation,” he said.

Marzuki also said GTA has not decided whether to participate in the coming six state elections, claiming that its registration has yet to be approved by the Registrar of Societies (ROS).

“There is no decision yet (on contesting in the state polls) because we are still waiting for GTA’s registration approval by ROS,” he said.

“GTA has complied with all ROS requirements after Pejuang’s withdrawal.

“But so far, we have not received an answer from ROS.”

Earlier today, it was reported that GTA, which has Putra, Berjasa and Iman as members, was considering joining PN to create the largest Malay coalition bloc in the country.

The report, citing GTA sources, claimed that Putra will also undergo a name change to GTA at the party’s annual general assembly next month and appoint Dr Mahathir as president.

Dr Mahathir stepped down as chairman and left Pejuang, the party he founded, and joined Putra. He was later appointed as an adviser to the party founded by its president Ibrahim Ali.

Putra secretary-general Rosdi Idris, in a statement, also denied the report and insisted that Putra joining PN was never discussed by the party.

“The changing of Putra’s name to GTA was also not discussed at Putra’s supreme council meeting,” he said.

“This is also in line with Putra president’s statement on March 3 that all decisions will only be known after its annual general assembly on May 7.”

Pejuang president Mukhriz Mahathir also previously expressed his desire to join PN after the party lost badly in the general election, with all their candidates losing their deposits. – March 15, 2023.