DAP wants Harapan to discuss Muda's membership application soon

• UPDATED 7.35PM | This article has been amended to better reflect Fahmi Fadzil’s statement.

While Muda's intention to join Pakatan Harapan has attracted various responses, including resistance from a faction within PKR, DAP views it positively and wants it dealt with by the next presidential council meeting.

DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke said his party sees Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman's public announcement of wanting to join the coalition as having another like-minded party showing confidence in Harapan.

"Muda has made an open statement about its intention to join Harapan, I am sure it is serious about the application and it will write in officially to Harapan.

"Since the intention was made publicly, I look at it as Muda making the first move. It is now on Harapan to respond and it has to be discussed as soon as possible," he said in an interview with Malaysiakini and KiniTV today.

Loke added that his party will express its stance on Muda's membership application in the upcoming presidential council meeting, which is held once every two weeks.

He declined to reveal DAP's stance on the matter which the party discussed in a recent central executive committee meeting.

However, he said the coalition should welcome Muda’s intention to be part of Harapan.

"We will express our view and position in the presidential council meeting, I do not want to pre-empt anything," he added.

Amanah wishes to see unity

Meanwhile, Amanah appeared to also be receptive to accepting Muda into Harapan.

Its communications director Khalid Samad told Malaysiakini that his party wants to see opposition parties uniting.

“(Muda) is welcomed. Uniting the opposition (parties) is Amanah’s wish and will be discussed in Harapan’s presidential council meeting,” he said.

PKR’s views

Not all coalition components seem to be open to the idea of Muda entering Harapan.

PKR Youth earlier said there are many preconditions that need to be fulfilled before a decision is made on Muda's application.

Its chief Adam Adli Abdul Halim wants Harapan to first sort out a few matters before considering accepting Muda, particularly the grassroots’ opinion and sentiments on the matter.

PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil said Muda has yet to apply to join Harapan, so the matter has yet to be brought up for discussion in its presidential council meetings.

PSM-Pakatan situation not the same

PSM, which failed in its bid to join the now defunct Pakatan Rakyat several years ago, hopes that the youth-based party has a better outcome in joining the opposition coalition.

When asked about this, Loke said Pakatan did not accept PSM's membership because a coalition member objected to the application.

"That is PSM's view. The reason why PSM was not accepted by Pakatan was that there was strong objection from PAS," he added.

Loke pointed out that the situation with Muda is not the same as what happened with PSM.

The former transport minister hopes Harapan will approach Muda's application in a good way and see it as healthy political competition within the coalition.

“This is part and parcel of political competition, even within the coalition, we can have a healthy competition to do better.

"As far as the application is concerned, I think the decision has to be made collectively by Harapan, not by any single party. Harapan does not operate or is dictated by any single party," Loke added.

Reporting by Lee Way Loon, Kow Gah Chie and Ng Xiang Yi

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