INTERVIEW | Amid politicking, Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin is hoping that the party delegates will pivot on bread-and-butter issues at its annual general meeting this weekend.

Speaking to the media on Monday, Muhyiddin said the AGM must be used as an opportunity to strengthen Bersatu and Pakatan Harapan particularly now that they had been given the mandate to rule the country.

Central to the effort, he stressed, is to champion the rakyat's aspirations for better living conditions.

"It is important for us to take this opportunity to strengthen Bersatu and by doing this we also together strengthen Harapan both as a political party and as the government. Because we have been given the mandate and confidence by the rakyat to lead this country for the next five years.

"(Among the) points our delegates will focus on in their debates is to discuss the important message from our chairperson [...] how to help our party to have a stronger footing and how to ensure wider acceptance of the rakyat towards Bersatu.

“Also on how we can play a main role in the government. Because we are now not only a political party but also a part of the Pakatan Harapan government," he said during a special interview session held in conjunction with the convention beginning today.

Muhyiddin elaborated that Harapan could be strengthened through, among others, closer cooperation and better understanding among the component parties all working as a team to achieve the agenda they have set.

He said it is important to form a strong team that could help the government to fulfil its manifesto promises and to carry out the transformation and reformation of the country.

Most important of these agendas, he stressed, was finding ways on how the cost of living could be reduced.

"We are very concerned about this issue. That is why we reminded all delegates from all over the country that they must represent the rakyat's voice.

"The rakyat has been demanding for the Harapan government to help solve bread-and-butter issues such as living costs, the increase in the prices of goods, the cut in government subsidies, the declining commodity prices, the burden of Felda settlers due to a lack of financial assistance and other issues concerning the general public.

"So the message that we want to bring to this conference revolves around the efforts that can be taken by our party and the government to address these issues faced by the rakyat," he said...