Muhyiddin proposes ‘Barisan Rakyat’ to fight Barisan Nasional

Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) president Muhyiddin Yassin has proposed that opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan be renamed as ‘Barisan Rakyat’.

“Maybe we can name the new coalition between Pakatan Harapan and Bersatu as Barisan Rakyat – Barisan Rakyat to fight against Barisan Nasional,” the former deputy premier, in a Bersatu programme held in Padang Rengas, Perak said tonight.

He, however, acknowledged that this would depend on the agreement of the parties’ respective leaders.

“We want to re-build the country’s system which we had formed decades ago after our independence which is almost destroyed and could no longer be protected by (prime minister) Najib (Abdul Razak) and his cohorts,” he added.

Muhyiddin’s proposal comes after his party’s chairperson, former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, suggested that Harapan changes its name, also emphasising on the need to create a common logo, symbol and election manifesto.

The Pakatan Harapan presidential council, which had unanimously accepted Bersatu as a member of the opposition pact, had agreed to discuss the four recommendations made by Mahathir.

Meanwhile, Muhyddin in his speech also cited a question posed to him on Bersatu’s chances of winning in the upcoming general election.

Admitting that it would be hard for Bersatu alone to do so, Muhyiddin explained that this was the reason why it wanted a coalition made up of opposition parties.

“If opposition parties are united, we will win, as long as we don’t fight each other. For example, Parti Amanah Negara shouldn’t fight Bersatu.

“The formula is simple, if it’s a one to one fight, hands down, they (the opponents) have to ‘hands up’, they have to surrender.”

He added Bersatu was also looking to propose a Malay-based coalition in which Bersatu would be among the main parties to champion the party’s struggles in the coalition.

“It must be a Malay-led government. I am mentioning this here not because I want to favour anyone but because I know the majority of the rakyat are Malays.”

Admitting that non-Malays, too, want their rights to be safeguarded, Muhyiddin promised that the rights of both the country’s Malays and non-Malays will be protected.

‘Not something only for today but for the long-term’

“That’s why we have to determine a new political coalition that is sustainable, not something that is only for today but for the long-term,” said Muhyiddin, who then confirmed that the matter would be discussed in “one or two days’ time”.

Despite the new coalition being a Malay-led organisation, Muhyiddin allayed concerns in relation to other component parties, stressing that parties like DAP and PKR would be “part of the family”.

“This is important because some quarters in their reports claim that if the opposition wins, it can only last for two years.

“But look at Selangor. There has been two general elections and Umno has lost forever.

“(Selangor Menteri Besar) Azmin (Ali) has shown how he can administer a state and (Penang Chief Minister Lim) Guan Eng has managed to administer Penang, so what’s our problem?”

Urging the people to give the opposition a chance, Muhyiddin stressed that Najib should not be allowed to continue to “destroy the country”.- Mkini