Nik Nazmi: Harapan shouldn't dance to Umno-PAS' tune

Pakatan Harapan should not dance to Umno and PAS' tune despite the current momentum of the cooperation between the two parties, Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said today.

"Recently, after Harapan's defeat in Cameron Highlands and Semenyih, there have been demands for Harapan to follow Umno and PAS' tune. 

"Harapan does not need to bow to such demands. 

"Instead, I am of the view that if Harapan shows confidence in Buku Harapan (its election manifesto), Harapan can present a form of politics that is relevant and effective for New Malaysia," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby today.

Backed by PAS, Umno succeeded in retaining the Cameron Highlands parliamentary seat, and thereafter wrested the Semenyih state seat from Bersatu.

Nik Nazmi, the PKR organising secretary, said Umno and PAS were maintaining their race-based approach, despite such policies failing to resolve the income divide and poverty within the bumiputera community.

"The more they shout about bumiputera poverty, the more bumiputera and non-bumiputera tauke (bosses) sweep (the wealth)," he said.

PKR has proffered a formula to tackle Malay issues through its Malaysian Economic Agenda.

On April 13, Anwar Ibrahim will see the party he leads tested in a by-election for Rantau, which sits adjacent to his own constituency of Port Dickson.

PKR will field Dr S Streram as its candidate for the polls. He is likely to come up against acting Umno president Mohamad Hasan, who held the seat from 2004 until his GE14 win was voided last month.