Gerakan joins PN coalition
Gerakan, which quit the BN coalition in the aftermath of a poor showing in GE14, has announced that it is joining the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition led by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
"Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia is now part of the coalition of democracy, namely, the Perikatan Nasional...
Gerakan, which quit the BN coalition in the aftermath of a poor showing in GE14, has announced that it is joining the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition led by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
“Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia is now part of the coalition of democracy, namely, the Perikatan Nasional.
“We will work with the parties in PN to ensure the welfare of the people and socio-economic development will take precedence.
“Gerakan will work with PN to provide a people's government, which prioritises prosperity and moderation,” said party president Dominic Lau in a statement today.
Meanwhile, Muhyiddin in a post on Facebook said he has handed the letter of acceptance for Gerakan to enter the coalition to Lau.
“The entry of Gerakan as a member party has been unanimously approved by the PN supreme council.
“I very much welcome Gerakan's participation in PN and I believe this move will strengthen PN as a coalition of political parties representing the multi-racial and regional communities in Malaysia.
“PN will continue to be committed to building a peaceful, developed, prosperous, and stable Malaysia," said Muhyiddin in a brief statement.
Lau said as a political party that has been in the political arena of the country for more than five decades, established with the principles of democracy and loyalty to the concept of Malaysia, Gerakan is always ready to take responsibility in the mainstream politics of the country.
“Gerakan believes in the importance of unity in politics in this multi-racial, multi-linguistic, and regional country,
“Unity in politics is crucial in generating understanding to drive the torch of national glory forward.
“Politicians also need to unite and prioritise the country over their own desires. I am confident that this new coalition will prioritise unity and understanding,” said Lau.
Gerakan was formed as a multi-racial opposition party in the 1960s but then joined the BN coalition.
The party provided the state of Penang with its two longest-serving chief ministers in Lim Chong Eu and Koh Tsu Koon but has been on the retreat since 2008. It failed to win any seats in the 2013 general election.
However, Buntong assemblyperson A Sivasubramaniam defected from DAP to Gerakan last year as part of a move that helped trigger the collapse of the Perak's Pakatan Harapan government.
Gerakan was touted as a possible destination for the defecting PKR MPs led by Azmin Ali, but they eventually joined Bersatu instead.
“PN was formed last year with Bersatu, PAS in the peninsula, and Star and SAPP. The main duties of the component parties are the welfare of the people and the economic development that goes with it.
“In a series of discussions with Bersatu and PAS leaders, what is clear is that their political agenda is based on the welfare of the people.
“It is clear through the economic stimulus package plans announced by the prime minister earlier that billions of ringgit were injected as assistance to the people in facing the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Lau.
He said he instructed all party members at the central committee, state, and divisional levels to meet with the public and help convey PN's people-centred agenda to the masses.
