Muhyiddin says Bersatu open to pacts as Malacca Harapan confirms talks

PETALING JAYA: Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin confirmed that the party has engaged in discussions with various political parties to potentially form a new alliance ahead of the 16th General Election (GE16). However, Muhyiddin stated that no final decision has been reached as talks are still ongoing. The Bersatu president expressed openness to cooperating with other parties that align with the fundamental principles of Bersatu's efforts.

He mentioned that there were meetings held with several political parties and invitations extended to discuss potential cooperation, but he would not favor any particular party when deciding the nature of such collaboration. Muhyiddin emphasized that Bersatu has always believed it cannot succeed independently and requires partnership with other parties to enhance its political standing.

The party's previous attempt at contesting alone in the Negri Sembilan election reinforced this belief. However, Bersatu was denied cooperation by Perikatan Nasional (PN), particularly by PAS within PN, which posed challenges. Muhyiddin noted that when PN was formed, its purpose was to create a clear political coalition to bolster the positions of its constituent parties.

Despite winning the election, Bersatu would have to reassess its cooperation based on the decisions of other parties.