Rafizi's team: More 'inclusive' discussions needed with DAP, Amanah
In saying this, he alluded to the recent Johor state election that saw DAP and Amanah candidates contesting under the Harapan logo, while PKR candidates stood on their own party flag.
"You can see in the Johor elections there were many statements we were not privy to. Suddenly 'DAP-Amanah, DAP-Amanah'.
"And then there was the Muda negotiations. For us, that wasn’t very nice because Harapan should be talking together," he said in a joint interview with incumbent PKR vice-president Chang Lih Kang.
Nik Nazmi said PKR contesting on a different logo than DAP and Amanah in Johor should not be a hindrance to discussions among the three parties.
"We (PKR) used a...
INTERVIEW | PKR central leadership council member Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said any agreements reached by DAP and Amanah with parties outside of Pakatan Harapan should be discussed with PKR.
In saying this, he alluded to the recent Johor state election that saw DAP and Amanah candidates contesting under the Harapan logo, while PKR candidates stood on their own party flag.
"You can see in the Johor elections there were many statements we were not privy to. Suddenly 'DAP-Amanah, DAP-Amanah'.
"And then there was the Muda negotiations. For us, that wasn’t very nice because Harapan should be talking together," he said in a joint interview with incumbent PKR vice-president Chang Lih Kang.
Nik Nazmi said PKR contesting on a different logo than DAP and Amanah in Johor should not be a hindrance to discussions among the three parties.
"We (PKR) used a different logo, but Muda also did not use the Harapan logo.
"Harapan still exists as a registered coalition, so there is no issue about DAP and Amanah talking to us about how to approach Muda," he said.
Harapan leaders from all three parties had met Johor Muda for initial discussions as part of a strategy to unite all opposition forces and civil society against BN.
This was followed by separate engagements that saw DAP and Amanah making way for Muda to contest in six out of 56 seats in the Johor state assembly.
PKR and Amanah were allocated 20 seats each, while DAP contested 16 seats, with all three parties having the option of giving up their seats to other opposition parties, including Muda, Warisan, and Pejuang.
‘We want everyone to do well’
Muda, however, eventually clashed with PKR in Larkin after a breakdown of negotiations involving an initial request for another three seats from the party.
Looking back, Nik Nazmi said the process could have been more inclusive, "not just ‘Amanah and DAP talk to Muda, leave PKR behind and we have to talk to Muda".
"That made it a very long process. At the end of the day, we want everyone to do well. We don’t want Harapan or Muda to do badly," he added.
It was reported at the time that the deadlock involved Muda's request to field its candidates in Sri Medan, Gambir, and Larkin.
However, PKR was instead willing to offer Sri Medan, Semarang, and Benut - seats previously contested by Bersatu in the 14th general election (GE14), when the party was then part of Harapan.
Nik Nazmi, however, said PKR could still continue future talks with Muda based on their shared values, unlike others in the opposition such as Pejuang and Warisan.
Reflecting on their personal experiences as youth leaders and being fielded for PKR during the party's earlier years, both Nik Nazmi and Chang said Muda should accept being allocated "tough seats" as a part of the political process.
"I think what is important to realise is we (PKR) had gone through that period when we had to take the 'jin bertendang' (rural) seats.
"There is actually nothing wrong with that," said Nik Nazmi, citing as an example PKR's rural seats in Sarawak among Bidayuh, Iban, and Orang Ulu communities.
"So I think if Muda is in this in the long run… fine you want one or two good seats, but you also have to take the tough seats," he added.
READ MORE: No shortcuts to Putrajaya: Rafizi's team to reclaim party's identity
‘What new parties must go through’
PKR had debuted as Parti Keadilan Nasional in the 1999 general election alongside PAS, DAP, and Parti Rakyat Malaysia as the Barisan Alternatif pact against BN.
Chang recalled how, despite establishing a good relationship with PAS at the time, PKR was assigned 59 Parliament seats, with 57 deemed as tough battles.
"Those were the seats we got despite our good relationship with PAS. No complaints.
"That is what new parties must go through. So I think Muda needs to understand this," said Chang.
On a personal level, he said he accepted PKR's GE14 decision to field him in the Tanjong Malim parliamentary seat, away from the Teja state seat that he won for two terms.
Nik Nazmi added, "Chang was an Adun (state assemblyperson). I was an exco and Ketua Pemuda Harapan."
"We took it in our stride. For us, we felt that we were on the brink of winning Malaysia. There is no bed of roses for anyone," said the Setiawangsa MP, who was previously a two-term Seri Setia assemblyperson and Selangor state executive councillor.
Beyond Johor, Nik Nazmi said a similar situation involving external negotiations by DAP and Amanah had unfolded prior to the Sabah state election in November 2020.
"Warisan is not even in the Harapan coalition but DAP and Amanah decided to use Warisan’s logo. We (PKR) were fine with it.
"At the end of the day, Harapan still exists as a coalition and so any discussions and all that should be within that framework," he said.
Moving forward, Nik Nazmi said the use of any logo should not be attributed as the sole reason for PKR's poor performance, and that the party should be given the flexibility to make a strategic choice in GE15.
‘Big tent’ strategy
Harapan's latest defeat has prompted top leaders, including DAP national chairperson Lim Guan Eng to repeat calls for a united opposition under a "big tent" approach that previously led to the coalition’s historic takeover of Putrajaya in the last general election.
Both Nik Nazmi and Chang are running for two out of four PKR vice-president seats as part of PKR deputy president candidate Rafizi Ramli's team in the upcoming party elections.
Former Kapar MP G Manivannan has also announced his candidacy for the third vice-president's post under Rafizi's team.
So far, two main factions divided between Rafizi and PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, who yesterday announced his bid for the deputy president's post, have formed with key ideological differences.
Rafizi has disagreed with calls by some Harapan leaders who are in favour of the "big tent" strategy, while Saifuddin adopted "diplomacy" as his main campaign message.
The PKR election will take place on May 13-18. Nominations will be on April 9.
PKR is the only party in the country which practises a one-person-one-vote system in electing the top-six party positions.
