Seminar on Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia: A Game Changer or a Non-Starter?

In this seminar, Mr Mukhriz Mahathir argued that the newly formed political party Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia was instrumentally positioned to win over Malay voters whomay start to abandon UMNO.

 
The session was chaired by Dr Francis Hutchinson, Senior Fellow & Coordinator of the Regional Economic Studies Programme (Source: ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute)

Mr Mukhriz was particularly optimistic of Bersatu’s chances in Kedah and Johor, citing the fact that thousands had turned up to recent party events. He also shared that more than half of Bersatu’s members came from the “below-35” age demographic, implying that the party was able to capture new adherents among Malaysia’s relatively youthful population. Mr Mukhriz’s presentation put forward a scenario where Bersatu was ready to break into UMNO’s rural strongholds, thence becoming the game-changer in a picture where PAS is unlikely to be joining the oppositional coalition, Pakatan Harapan.

In the Q & A session, Mr Mukhriz expressed his opinion that having a Prime Minister candidate ready for Pakatan Harapan before the election was better than not having one. Indeed, the Opposition Coalition, Pakatan Harapan could think about putting forward a list of potential senior cabinet members. Mr Mukhriz also thought that RUU 355 is a political issue and Bersatu’s stand is that it is an ongoing discussion and the outcome has to be in line with the Constitution.
 
Participants at the seminar (Source: ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute)

Over 80 people attended this event.

Written by Nicholas Chan