Here’s how you can still fight in polls, Kamarul tells PPBM

PETALING JAYA: A vocal critic of Dr Mahathir Mohamad has suggested that PPBM members join either PKR or Amanah, in the aftermath of the deregistration slapped on the Malay-based party today.

Kamarul Zaman Yusoff, who heads Universiti Utara Malaysia’s Institute for Political Studies, said Amanah would be a more suitable party for PPBM members as both were going after the Malay votes for opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan (PH).

“It is best if PPBM joins Amanah as they have the same goals. Amanah joined with PKR and DAP to form PH, the main objective was to gain votes from the Malays, especially those in rural seats,” said Kamarul, who has frequently criticised Mahathir as well as other opposition leaders.

Another option for PPBM, said Kamarul, is to take over an existing party, such as Parti Kesejahteraan Insan Tanah Air (Kita), the party once led by former minister Zaid Ibrahim.

The Registrar of Societies (RoS) today slapped a “provisional dissolution” on PPBM, citing the party’s failure to furnish documents and details within the stipulated period.

This followed an earlier notice by RoS to submit minutes of its branch, divisional and central leadership meetings, as part of investigation into hundreds of complaints filed by PPBM members.

The party, formed in 2016 after the fallout between Prime Minister Najib Razak and his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin, has been given a month to furnish more documents to RoS, failing which it could be permanently deregistered.

Kamarul agreed that the RoS’ decision could backfire against Barisan Nasional (BN), saying the opposition could also get sympathy votes at the next polls.

“The opposition can say PPBM has been victimised by the RoS in a political move because the government is so afraid to face the threat of PPBM,” he said.  - FMT