KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 22 — As political parties ramp up preparation for elections in six states, Kedah Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Datuk Mahfuz Omar has confirmed that he met Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang) president Mukhriz Mahathir to discuss working with each other.
Mahfuz said Mukhriz had expressed interest in forming a political alliance with PH in Kedah, the New Straits Times reported today, even though the latter had recently been in a similar meeting with PAS which is in the rival Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition.
“Yes, I met with him in Kuala Lumpur about two months ago. Mukhriz expressed his intention about a potential cooperation between Pejuang and Kedah PH.
“However, I told him that this matter must be decided by PH's presidential council. I advised him to discuss the matter through proper channels and to seek a meeting with PH chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim,” the Parti Amanah Negara vice-president was quoted as saying.
Mahfuz added that he also invited Mukhriz and Pejuang secretary-general Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah to join Amanah.
“I told them it would make things easier for them. We may offer both leaders an opportunity to contest in the upcoming state election. However, they have yet to decide on the offer,” he was quoted as saying.
Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor who is also PAS national election director confirmed last Sunday that Mukhriz recently met his party’s top leaders but claimed not to know what they discussed.
However, he welcomed Mukhriz to join PAS or PN.
Mukhriz is the son of former two-time prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who founded Pejuang after leaving Bersatu, and later formed the Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) coalition to join the 15th general election last year, where its parliamentary candidates were soundly defeated.
Mukhriz has since taken Pejuang out of GTA, while his father has chosen to stay with the coalition.
