The Malaysian Insight

PAKATAN Harapan (PH) should focus on attracting like-minded parties with which to cooperate in the upcoming general election (GE), said DAP chairman Tan Kok Wai.

So far, he said, youth-based Muda is the only party that shares the closest ideology with the coalition.

However, PH needs to strengthen itself first before attracting other parties, he added.

He told The Malaysian Insight that only under the “big tent” approach will the opposition have a chance to bring down Barisan Nasional (BN) in GE15.

“PH and its partners must share the same values, political concepts and ideals,” he said, adding that PH has been steadfast in refusing to cooperate with Umno, Bersatu and PAS.

“Umno’s leadership has not changed from Day 1. Its political agenda is still to advocate racism, and encourage one-party dominance, dictatorship and corruption.

“Judging from the current political situation, there is absolutely no room for us to form an alliance (with Umno).

“(And) it was Bersatu’s betrayal that led to PH’s collapse. We will never form a pact with a party that has no principles, betrays the people and is dishonest.

“A coalition will not last if its components do not share the same values.”

On Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli’s statement that PH and Perikatan Nasional (PN) are in the midst of negotiations, Tan said there is no such thing.

“Politicians must be cautious with what they say and do.”

On Warisan, which made its debut in the peninsula in the Johor polls, Tan said the party is made up of other parties’ frustrated ex-members.

He also questioned the party’s intention in running in the recent state elections.

He said while Warisan is well within its rights to expand into the peninsula, it should not poach or recruit from other parties.

“I think the people will not appreciate (the move).

“Warisan lost in all six seats in which it contested, and lost its deposit in Johor. The seats in which it contested are PH seats, so what is its intention?”

On Pejuang, Tan said the party needs to review its position in politics having lost its deposit in all 42 seats in which it contested.

“Muda is closest to PH in terms of political philosophy.”

The Johor polls saw multiple multi-cornered fights and PKR opting to use its own logo instead of PH’s.

DAP and Amanah gave Muda six seats, and the youth-based party’s Amira Aisyah Abd Aziz won in Puteri Wangsa.

DAP managed to bag only 10 seats out of 16, while PKR bagged one out of 20.

Lessons from losses

Pahang DAP secretary Lee Chin Chen said maybe it is time for the party to go solo, after PH’s three consecutive defeats in state elections.

He suggested a “soft partnership”, where each party uses its own logo but works together when it comes to allies and seat negotiations.

Tan said DAP welcomes all views from members, but added that PH will not be divided when any failure surfaces.

There will be ups and downs, but strengthening the pact is top priority, he added.

He said if the opposition continues to be divided, BN will continue to govern and be corrupt.

“We cannot be held accountable just because we lost in two or three elections.DAP lost in all state seats it contested in Johore in 3 consecutive general elections in 1995, 1999 and 2004; winning 4 seats in 2008 general election and move on to win 13seats and 14 seats respectively in 2013 and 2018 elections.”

“If we had chosen to give up due to our earlier performance, we would not have been able to achieve such good results.

“In the latest polls, people predicted that we would win only two to six seats, but we won 10.” – March 19, 2022.