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KUALA LUMPUR – While Muda has yet to prove its ability to draw youth support, there is nothing wrong with Pakatan Harapan (PH) having discussions on whether to admit the fledgling party into its fold, Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P. Ramasamy said.
He acknowledged misgivings about Muda, noting that its performance in the Johor election was “not impressive” in attracting the support of young voters between the ages of 18 to 21.
“The thing about Muda galvanising the youth in its favour might be a pipe dream.
“It is more talk about Muda swaying the youth than (can) be empirically established.
“Having said this, there is nothing wrong with PH having an open discussion about admitting or not admitting Muda within its fold,” Ramasamy said in a statement today.
The Penang DAP deputy chairman also said these talks could be one step towards the “big tent” approach that some PH leaders support in order to face Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional in the 15th general election.
In the Johor election in March, which saw Muda win only the Puteri Wangsa seat, the young party had worked with DAP and Amanah, but could not reach a compromise with PKR for the Larkin seat where both parties faced off.
Ramasamy said DAP, which lacked Malay support, was more open to having Muda in PH, while Amanah did not appear to have ideological differences with the party led by Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.
He said PKR “might be the main stumbling block” to an electoral pact with Muda, and urged its leaders to have “some magnanimity”.
“(In principle), if the party is against both PN and BN, then (there) is nothing wrong to bring it over to the side of the opposition.
“The turns and twists of Syed Saddiq might create uneasiness among PH leaders, but it is still worthwhile to work with Muda.
“Its leaders might have made mistakes in the past, however, senior and more experienced leaders in PH can guide them,” Ramasamy said.
PH chairman and PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim last night said the coalition would be discussing Muda’s desire to join it soon.
Syed Saddiq made known the party’s intention to join PH on Tuesday, but this has not been well received by all in PKR.
Muda reportedly intends to contest in 15 parliamentary seats in GE15 and also defend Muar, where Syed Saddiq is the incumbent MP. – The Vibes, September 10, 2022