PETALING JAYA: Five days after announcing he would form a new party, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (pix) has finally revealed its name — Pejuang (or fighter in Malay).
In a blog post yesterday, Mahathir said the new party was formed out of consciousness that the Malays in the country could be destroyed due to corruption, while decrying the alleged corrupt practices of his former party, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu).
The veteran politician said Bersatu, the party he founded in 2016, had strayed from its original course to fight and eliminate kleptocrats, and that the very same individuals who had initially promised this were no longer committing to it, merely because of the offer of “money and position”.
“Its (Bersatu) current struggle is based on ‘what is in it for me’. The easy way out. Accepting whatever is being offered,” he said in an emotional writing in the form of a poem yesterday.
Mahathir also accused Bersatu of straying from its struggle to champion the interests and rights of the Malays, and warned that the ethnic race risks facing displacement if corrupt leaders continue to be in power.
The elder statesman went on to say that his new party — Pejuang — was set up with the conscience that corruption would destroy the Malays, and called on those with similar goals to join him.
“If you want money and position, then choose a different party.
“If you want to redeem your dignity, if you want to maintain our rights, then choose us. Choose Pejuang,” he said.
Mahathir had, on Aug 7, announced that he would form a new party after Bersatu was supposedly “hijacked” by now Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, and that it will not be aligned to the two largest bloc in Parliament — Perikatan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan.
He also said existing Malay parties have failed to play the role of championing the struggles of the Malays, prompting him to establish a new one.
Under Pejuang, Mahathir is expected to hold the position of chairman, while his son Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir is likely to take on the president post.
Observers will soon be able to gauge the strength and support for Mahathir’s new party, which is expected to field a candidate for the Slim by-election in Perak that is to be held on Aug 29.
Mukhriz had said the candidate would contest as an independent if the party could not be registered in time.
