‘Politics is a game of possibilities’: Muhyiddin won’t rule out working with other coalitions, even BN

SERDANG, Aug 27 — Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has proposed that political coalitions call a ceasefire to fight common enemy Barisan Nasional (BN) at the next general election (GE15).

In a bid to limit BN’s chances of helming the federal government again, the former prime minister’s last-ditch appeal to parties outside the coalition came as rumours swirl of an impending GE15.

“Prior to this, I talked to a few parties about possible cooperation. However, they might have thought that the election is probably still far away, and that’s why they decided to leave it be.

“But if they think that the election is near, I’m open to discussion. We know that our main rival is BN. All the corruption, power abuse from BN, this is not good for the country.

“If we want to achieve our goal to prevent the country from falling into an even worst state, other leaders should think about how we want to avoid that,” he told reporters during the press conference after the coalition’s convention at Malaysia Agriculture Exposition Park (Maeps) here.

When asked whether he had ruled out working with BN completely, Muhyiddin said he did not discount the possibility of an alliance because it was hard to make a decision in the current political climate.

“The combination with BN is difficult to say. There is an ‘if’. I don’t want to say that we rule it out due to the uncertain and dynamic situation... the turmoil and division in Umno. Politics is a game of possibilities,” he added.

Muhyiddin, who is also Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) president, was responding to the coalition’s Youth chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari raising the prospect of negotiations ahead of GE15.

Ahmad Fadhli also mentioned in his speech that if Umno was willing to “change”, then there was a possibility of negotiations.

However, Ahmad Fadhli did not clarify what kind of change would have to happen in order for PN to consider working with BN again.

Earlier today, he also urged the coalition’s leadership to reconsider talks with Pakatan Harapan (PH) or BN.

Despite the defiant mood of the coalition’s inaugural convention that signalled a reluctance to work with either political rival, he said that a three-cornered fight would risk PN repeating the same mistake seen in the Melaka and Johor state elections.