New Malaysian opposition party approved

By P Prem Kumar

KUALA LUMPUR

A new opposition political vehicle led by former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has received principal approval from Malaysia's government.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told reporters in administrative capital Putrajaya on Thursday that the Malaysian Native United Party had been principally approved, however full approval is subject to clarification of several constitutional matters.

"They will need to clarify the role of the party's president and chairman. Currently, it's interlining," Hamidi said.

The party, whose first-tier membership is only open to Malays and East Malaysian natives, has named former deputy premier Muhyiddin Yassin as president while Mohamad has been registered in a chairman-cum-advisor role.

Hamidi said that the party will also be barred from promoting themselves as "United" -- its chosen abbreviation -- but should instead use an acronym based on its Malay language name, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.

Yassin, meanwhile, told Anadolu Agency that the party would clarify the need to use the United acronym instead of PPBM as it reflects the party's ideology and principles.

"We are seeking to be the alternative to the ruling UMNO [United Malays National Organisation], thus we are calling all Malays in this country to be united behind us," he said in a telephone conversation.

"We will clarify these things with the RoS [Registrar of Societies]."

Mohamad - Malaysia's longest serving prime minister of 23 years - had stated his intention of founding United in July to ally with the Hope Pact -- the country's major opposition coalition -- to battle the National Alliance ruling coalition in the 2018 election.

On Monday, Mahathir appeared at a court appearance by the one-time protege he jailed, Anwar Ibrahim (the jailed de facto leader of the opposition coalition) and publically shook his hand -- a move that signaled growing unity among opponents of Prime Minister Najib Razak.

It was the first sign of any friendship between the two since he was sacked in 1998 by his boss over political differences.

Yassin and Mohamad's son, Mukhriz Mahathir, were sacked from UMNO in June after being accused of being part of a campaign to oust Razak led by Mohamad,

Yassin and Mukhriz -- then UMNO deputy president and council member, respectively - had joined Mohamad at a Hope Pact campaign event for by-elections in June.

UMNO won in both contests, with stronger majorities, defeating the Malaysian Islamic Party and its splinter group National Honest Party -- which was endorsed by the trio.

UMNO is the major political party in the National Alliance, which had ruled Malaysia since independence in 1957.

Yassin was dropped as deputy prime minister in a cabinet reshuffle in July 2015 after criticizing PM Razak's handling of state development fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), which had amassed 50 billion Ringgit ($12.9 billion) debt in six years.

Razak has been accused of laundering $700 million from the fund to his personal bank accounts.

He denies the charge.