KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 27 — Both DAP and Amanah today said they respect PKR’s decision to contest in the Johor state election under its own logo, but would have preferred if the three parties would unite under the same Pakatan Harapan (PH) symbol to show their common purpose.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu said that their parties would continue to use the Pakatan Harapan (PH) logo in the coming state election to show voters their shared aspiration if they won the mandate to govern Johor.

"Despite differences with PKR, Amanah and DAP respect the decision by PKR not to use the Pakatan Harapan coalition symbol but their party logo in the upcoming Johor snap state election.

"As a coalition, Amanah and DAP would prefer all PH allies to unite under the same symbol with a common purpose and a shared political agenda. Both Amanah and DAP are of the opinion that political allies and coalition partners stay together in good times and in bad times,” Lim and Mohamad, who is better known as Mat Sabu, said in a joint statement.

They reassured voters that DAP and Amanah are committed to the PH alliance and pointed out the coalition is in control of three state governments — Selangor, Negri Sembilan and Penang.

They also asserted that Malaysia’s history has shown that political partnerships work rather that rule by a single party.

"During our 65 years of Merdeka, Malaysia has always been governed by a coalition of political parties. No single party had ever won the election or the right to govern alone,” the duo said.

They added that even Umno has continued to contest in elections under the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition logo "despite being the single dominant political party”.

Lim and Mohamad said that their two parties have not given up on engaging other Opposition parties, including PKR and Muda, to present a united front in the coming election.

"The people of Johor must not allow the government to escape unpunished for their failures in managing the Covid-19 pandemic, the economic recession, the serial total lockdowns causing more than RM500 billion in financial losses, the unending political crisis and instability, the recent flood disaster that cost more than 55 lives and RM20 billion in economic losses as well as escalating corruption scandals,” Lim and Mohamad said.

Yesterday, PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced his party’s decision to contest under its own flag in the Johor state election, and that Amanah and DAP would use the PH coalition banner.

Anwar also said that although PH had agreed to contest in all 56 state seats, it is still open to cooperating with other Opposition parties.

However, Pejuang, the Opposition party started by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, has made it clear it has no intention to join up with PH in future elections.