KUALA LUMPUR, March 5 — PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang confirmed that Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang) has made a bid to join the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, describing it as "something positive”.

The coalition will consider Pejuang’s application collectively, the MP for Marang told reporters at an event held in his constituency in Terengganu last night.

"We did receive Pejuang’s application form to join PN; we’ll discuss it in a meeting,” he said at a news conference that was aired on his Facebook account.

"This is a sign that PN is well-received by all sides,” Hadi added.

Pejuang president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir disclosed that the decision to join PN was made by his party’s executive council and its application was submitted last Tuesday.

Mukhriz’s father and former two-time prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who had been chairman of Pejuang, quit the party with 12 others last month, after it cut ties with the Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) coalition.

Dr Mahathir formed GTA late last year, amid speculation of an early general election, to bring together Pejuang, two minor Malay-based parties, and Malay professionals.

He founded Pejuang in 2020 after quitting Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, which is now a component member of PN.

He stepped down as Pejuang chairman on December 16, 2020 after all 125 of GTA candidates including him and Mukhriz lost their seats at the 15th general election but stayed on as GTA chairman.

Dr Mahathir denied he was aware of Pejuang’s application to join PN, shortly after news surfaced.

The 97-year-old has since joined Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia (Putra) to continue with his struggle for Malay rights.