After defeat, PH urges opposition parties not to contest in its traditional seats

 

Pakatan Harapan has acknowledged its weaknesses in the Johor elections and says it will immediately address them ahead of GE15.

PETALING JAYA: After its defeat in the Johor elections, Pakatan Harapan (PH) hopes opposition parties will not contest in its traditional seats in the upcoming general election.

PH’s presidential council said Saturday’s Johor polls showed that multi-cornered fights involving opposition parties only served to split the votes, making it increasingly difficult to take on eventual winners Barisan Nasional (BN).

“Opposition parties should not contest in PH areas, reducing votes that would most likely go to the coalition, and only serve to directly increase the chances of victory for BN,” it said in a statement today.

The council said it would “embrace all the forces willing to resist greed and corruption”, in hopes of fostering cooperation among opposition parties and to defeat BN.

Reflecting on PH’s failure to form the Johor state government, the coalition acknowledged its weaknesses and said it would work to immediately address them ahead of GE15.

“The PH presidential council accepts the people’s decision in the Johor elections and acknowledges the weaknesses, among them the multi-cornered contests by opposition parties, issues of contesting under the coalition logo, low voter turnout and the coalition’s communication strategies.

“PH will work to address these weaknesses immediately by rethinking its strategy ahead of GE15. These weaknesses cannot be overcome by one party or one initiative alone, but must be managed comprehensively in a jointffort by all involved,” it said.

The council said PH remained committed to establishing sustainable economic policies capable of resolving the people’s issues, such as unemployment, cost of living, pandemic management, and electricity tariffs for businesses.

On the issue of the anti-hopping bill PH demanded as part of the memorandum of understanding it signed with the government, it said a meeting would be held with Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob in the near future.

The statement was signed by PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, Amanah president Mohamad Sabu, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and Upko president Madius Tangau. - FMT