PH to decide on Muda’s fate on Oct 5

 

Amanah Youth chief Hasbie Muda says every party in PH welcomes Muda’s presence and cooperation with PSM in principle.

KUALA LUMPUR: Pakatan Harapan’s presidential council will decide on Muda’s application to join the coalition on Oct 5, says Amanah Youth chief Hasbie Muda.

Hasbie, a member of the PH committee tasked with holding negotiations with Muda and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), said the council will also decide on PSM’s wish to form an electoral pact with the coalition.

He said a meeting with Muda leaders this morning had gone well, describing discussions as “very positive”.

“Every party in PH welcomes Muda’s presence and cooperation with PSM, in principle. But the decision will be finalised by the presidential council on Oct 5,” he told FMT.

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The meeting, which started at 10am, had gone on for more than an hour, before an agreement was reached that seats currently held by PH would not be handed over to Muda.

“Muda has also stated their commitment that they will not demand that these seats be given to them,” he said.

The PH committee tasked with holding talks with Muda comprised Hasbie, PKR vice-president Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, DAP organising secretary Steven Sim and Upko vice-president Ewon Benedick.

PH’s presidential council received an official application from Muda to join the coalition earlier this month.

On Sept 6, Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said the party had begun preliminary discussions with PH on joining the coalition.

DAP and fellow component party PKR are at odds on welcoming Muda to PH, with several PKR leaders publicly opposing the acceptance of the new party.

Syed Saddiq, the former youth and sports minister, used to be the Bersatu Youth chief when the party was led by Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Analysts had said the mixed reaction of PH component parties about cooperation with Muda may be the coalition’s undoing as it could turn off voters in the next general election (GE15).

Syed Saddiq and Muda deputy president Amira Aisya Abd Aziz attended the negotiations, while PSM deputy chairman S Arutchelvan represented his party.

According to Arutchelvan, PSM does not want to be a PH component party, but is just seeking to contest state and parliamentary seats under the PH banner in GE15. - FMT