Malay rights coalition Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) is set to join Perikatan Nasional to form the biggest Malay coalition in the country, said a report.
GTA comprises Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia (Putra), The Pan-Malaysian Islamic Front (Berjasa), and the National Indian Muslim Alliance Party (Iman).
Utusan Malaysia, quoting a source from GTA, said Putra will also undergo a change of name to GTA at the party's annual general assembly next month, and appoint Dr Mahathir Mohamad as the president.
"PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang recently held a closed-door meeting with Mahathir, and Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor met the former premier as well.
"Their discussion was regarding unity between GTA and PN as a catalyst for the rise of Malay political power ahead of the 16th general election," the source told the Malay daily.
According to the source further, GTA will not contest in the upcoming state elections but will support PN in the six states where the polls are set to be held.
The source expressed hope that PN will garner Malay support in the state polls, as the current political sentiment is between the 'Malay-PN' or 'Umno-DAP' scenario.
This scenario, the source claimed, is a liability to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, even though PN chief Muhyiddin Yassin is currently facing corruption charges.
"Data shows that the Malays will lean towards PN, as Umno members themselves will not vote for Umno again, and Selangor will fall to PN, except for Chinese-majority areas, where the situation would be 50-50.
"GE16 is set to witness a clash between the biggest political coalitions in the country, thus repeating the incident of how the Malays rose to fight against the Malayan Union," the source said.
Last month, Mahathir joined Putra as an adviser, after leaving Pejuang, which he formed in 2020 after he was sacked from Bersatu following the Sheraton Move political coup.
He claimed that his exit from Pejuang was due to the party’s straying from its original fight by leaving GTA last Jan 14.
Earlier this month, it was reported that Pejuang has applied to join PN as a component party.
Its president Mukhriz Mahathir said Pejuang’s participation as a PN component would ensure there is no split in Malay votes in the upcoming election.
In GE15, all candidates under GTA component parties - including Pejuang - lost their deposits. - Mkini
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