Former deputy higher education minister Saifuddin Abdullah is tightlipped about whether a new NGO that the prime minister’s brother Nazir Abdul Razak is planning intends to contest in elections.

 

"I decline to answer," he said when asked by Malaysiakini .

 

Saifuddin said they have yet to discuss whether they would participate in the elections directly or indirectly.

 

On June 17, Nazir denied he was planning to set up a new political party.

 

Nazir said he has been discussing about the setting up of a NGO to advocate moderation.

 

Singapore's Straits Times reported that the progressives who were purged from the PAS leadership by conservative hardliners have engaged in exploratory discussions with representatives of Nazir, who is CIMB chairperson.

 

This was over possible cooperation between the PAS progressives dubbed Gerakan Harapan Baru (GHB) and Nazir's NGO to address growing disillusionment over the country's leadership.

 

Democracy prime agenda

 

PAS' Parit Buntar MP Mujahid Yusof Rawa, who is part of GHB, confirmed the exploratory talks held last month with Saifuddin who is expected to be the public face of the new NGO.

 

Asked about this, Saifuddin said it was a conversation between Malaysians for a better tomorrow, and to form a multiracial and an independent NGO.

 

"We are a democratic country and being democratic is definitely one of our agenda. We have not really finalised the key areas of concern. We are still at the planning stage.

 

"We have been planning on the NGO for quite some time, but we are cautious. We need time to discuss with people.

 

"We are not rushing, but we can't be too slow either. The NGO will be formed before the end of the year," he revealed.

 

Saifuddin refused to give any information on the people they have met, but admitted that he has met only Mujahid, who is a committee member of GHB.

 

He also declined to comment whether the NGO will fit into DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang's interpretation for a new coalition pact for like-minded parties and individuals he proposed after the demise of Pakatan Rakyat.

 

‘No merge with GHB’

 

Saifuddin further shot down the possibility of the new NGO merging with GHB as reported by the Straits Times.

 

What the PAS progressive faction had in mind was a new Islamic party, which is an idea not shared by the NGO, he noted.

 

"But we still share many things on democratic issues, which we can cooperate with each other," he said.                

 

Saifuddin revealed that the meeting that took place last month with Mujahid was none other than an informal meeting between two friends.

 

"We have no plans to discuss further," he said.

 

Presently, Saifuddin is the chief executive officer of the Global Movement of Moderates, a brainchild of the prime minister.