malaysia

Let’s show Dr M how to be principled in negotiations, PKR Youth chief says

By Zurairi AR
Published: May 20, 2017 10:27 AM GMT+8
Latest Update: May 20, 2017 10:56 am GMT+8

Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (pic) says PKR members should see it as a chance to show Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad how a complex negotiation can still be principled. ― Picture by Choo Choy MaySHAH ALAM, May 20 ― PKR Youth chief Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad admitted today that there is dilemma within his party over the acceptance of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) chaired by former political nemesis Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Despite that, Nik Nazmi said PKR members should see it as a chance to show the former prime minister how a complex negotiation can still be principled.

“I know this acceptance was greeted with dilemma by many parties. Even I had brought this matter up during the last congress. But I am confident that the politics of change demands a lot of compromise,” Nik Nazmi said during his keynote address at the wing's congress here.

“If before this we told Dr Mahathir that there is no leader that has ultimate power, so now we have the opportunity to show to him how a complex but principled negotiation should happen before we take a consensus,” he added.

The congress today was also attended by PPBM Youth wing chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.

In March, Pakatan Harapan officially accepted PPBM as its fourth component party.

PPBM, a Bumiputera-centric party, is led by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as its chairman and former deputy prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as president.

Dr Mahathir’s alliance with the federal Opposition has triggered public scepticism due to the fact that the former prime minister was once the fiercest rival to heads of both parties, and had been responsible for the imprisonment of several key leaders like Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Kit Siang and Lim Guan Eng.