Get more groups into PH to topple BN, says Khairuddin

He says there must be coordinated efforts at the grassroots level as GE14 could be held anytime soon.

PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Harapan (PH) should enlarge the coalition by inviting other opposition parties and civil societies in preparation for the general election, a former Umno leader says.

Khairuddin Abu Hassan said PH should extend invitations to Parti Generasi Baru, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) and other non-political groups to add strength to face yet another tough election.

“We should meet and coordinate efforts at the grassroots level to topple the kleptocratic Barisan Nasional government,” he said in a statement.

Khairuddin, who is now Parti Generasi Baru deputy chairman, said this was important to ensure all opposition political parties were single-minded in achieving their objectives.

He said it was better for PH, the four-party coalition consisting of DAP, PKR, Amanah and PPBM, to have a loose working cooperation with others.

“Time is running out as the 14th general election could be held anytime soon.”

PAS, which was once in the now-defunct Pakatan Rakyat coalition together with DAP and PKR, has set up a so-called third bloc called Gagasan Sejahtera.

Gagasan is made up of PAS, Parti Ikatan Bangsa Malaysia (Ikatan) and Barisan Jemaah Islamiah Se-Malaysia (Berjasa).

Parti Cinta Malaysia vice-president Huan Cheng Guan said the Penang-based party was also discussing the possibility of joining Gagasan.

PSM, which had a loose tie-up with Pakatan Rakyat in the 2013 general election, today announced its intention to contest 20 seats in the coming polls.

Its secretary-general, A Sivarajan, said these include the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat as well as the Semenyih, Kota Damansara and Jelapang state seats, which it had contested in GE13. -FMT