Atuk: Pejuang, as a Malay-party, will field ONLY Malay candidates but hopes the non-Malays will support it

Dr M: Pejuang to contest up to 120 Parliament seats in GE15

Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang) has set its sights to contest up to 120 Parliament seats in the 15th general election, according to party chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“We want to contest a lot of seats, maybe up to 120,” said Mahathir in an interview with online portal The Malaysian Insight.

The former premier did not disclose further details beyond Pejuang, as a Malay-party, will be fielding only Malay candidates.

“But we hope the non-Malays will support. Back when I was in Umno I received a lot of support from the Chinese, Indians.

“If we are a good government, the people will support,” said Mahathir, who also holds the record of being Malaysia’s longest-serving prime minister as the then Umno president.

Mahathir had left Umno to form Bersatu and won the Langkawi parliamentary seat in the 14th general election.

He was later appointed as prime minister under the Pakatan Harapan administration until it was toppled by the previous Perikatan Nasional government through defections.

Aside from Mahathir, Pejuang currently has three other former Bersatu MPs - Jerlun MP Mukhriz Mahathir, Kubang Pasu MP Amiruddin Hamzah and Sri Gading MP Shahruddin Md Salleh.

Looking at GE15, Mahathir predicted more multi-cornered fights that would pose difficulties for any political coalition to secure an outright majority.

Meanwhile, the former premier said Pejuang, which was formally registered last month, was not like any other party.

“We don’t have a history of (taking) bribes and we also don’t have many politicians.

“Most of our members are new faces, young and don’t have a poor track record,” he was quoted as saying.

Mahathir said any Pejuang aspirants should also be ready to make sacrifices as there would be limited seats to contest in.