KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 — Umno supreme council member Datuk Mohd Puad Zarkashi reminded the government not to be selective in approving political parties after the prime minister’s brother launched Parti Kuasa Rakyat yesterday.

Puad who is from the same party as Prime Minister Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob made an unexpected call for the government to also approve the application of Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) founded by Muar MP Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman as a political party.

In a Facebook post, the former Batu Pahat MP noted the emergence of two political parties that shared the same initials — PKR.

"Similar but not the same. Now there are two PKRs. Parti Keadilan Rakyat and Parti Kuasa Rakyat,” he said.

"Don’t let it be that the (new) PKR’s registration is approved, Muda’s is rejected. Why fear Syed Saddiq. Better to approve both,” he added.

Parti Kuasa Rakyat, which goes by Kuasa, was officially launched yesterday by Kamarazaman Yaakob, a former member of the Parti Sosialis Rakyat Malaysia and also the older brother of PM Ismail Sabri.

The more established political outfit Parti Keadilan Rakyat was formed in 1999, following the merger of Parti Keadilan Nasional and Parti Rakyat Malaysia. 

It is currently led by Port Dickson MP Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and goes by the three-letter initials today, though many in the party often call it "Keadilan” as well.

Muda has been repeatedly denied registration by Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin. 

The most recent rejection was in a letter dated August 11, with no reason given.

Muda’s efforts to be officially registered with the RoS as a political party is important, as such status is required for the party to be able to contest in elections under its own name and party logo.