Working with PH might lose GTA the Malay vote, says Mahathir

Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad today said that his movement would cooperate with neither Umno nor Pakatan Harapan (PH) in facing the 15th general election (GE15). 

The former prime minister said that GTA's main enemy remained Umno, accusing the party of damaging the country and misusing the people's money.

Speaking at a press conference in Putrajaya, he also referred to Umno leaders embroiled in criminal cases. 

On the other hand, he said, there would be no efforts to work with PH as this would cause GTA to lose Malay votes at GE15. 

"This PH – the Malays don't like DAP," he said. 

"So if we work with PH, GTA might lose the Malay vote." 

On the possibility of cooperation with Perikatan Nasional (PN), he said GTA was considering the option contingent on whether its component parties were in line with his cause. 

"We want to see if they are aligned with us or not," he said. 

"Are their leaders involved in crime, and do they have the same principles as GTA? Cooperation might be possible." 

PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin previously said that his side would need to study the option of cooperation with GTA. 

He also said he could make no decision on his own without involving the leaders of other PN components.