PKR Youth chief candidate Fahmi argues 'big tent' is detrimental

Penang PKR Youth chief Fahmi Zainol has called on his party to reconsider its ‘big tent’ strategy for the upcoming 15th general election, arguing it would only be detrimental.

Fahmi, who is vying for the position of PKR Youth chief in the upcoming party election, said his party lost the previous state elections due to voters being tired of political games.

“The proof is, we have lost in several state elections, as fence-sitters who previously supported Harapan now give their support to the ruling government.

“If in the past, PKR was appealing because of its principles it offered to the rakyat, but today we pawn these ‘principles’, certainly we will not appeal the most to the rakyat,” he said in a statement today.

He said working with other parties in the 14th general election caused PKR to lose the most in the Harapan-led government, as it could not make radical changes desired by the people.

The former student activist said PKR had to team up and cooperate with political parties which had unclear reform agendas.

He said those other parties issued statements that contradicted their own manifestos and eventually betrayed the coalition.

He proposed that PKR focus on strengthening its own ‘tent’ instead, as a component party in Harapan.

“Which such a large membership compared to other component parties, PKR had undeniably contributed significant machinery to Harapan’s win (in the previous election), together with Amanah, DAP, and other parties.

“We cannot allow PKR’s resources to be wasted again. I prefer to strengthen ‘our tent’, as a component party in Harapan,” he said. - Mkini