‘Perikatan may work with Pejuang’

PUTRAJAYA: Perikatan Nasional will consider the possibility of cooperating with Parti Pejuang Tanah Air in the general election, says its secretary-general.

Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said the matter would be discussed at the highest level with all its coalition parties.

“We will not easily say ‘yes’,” he said after officiating the National Registration Department’s (NRD) 74th anniversary celebration here yesterday.

Perikatan chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin recently said that cooperation with Pejuang would be considered.

Pejuang is part of the Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) movement which also comprises Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia (Putra), Barisan Jemaah Islamiah Se-Malaysia (Berjasa) and Parti Perikatan India Muslim Nasional (Iman).

Hamzah, who is the Home Minister, said Perikatan was prepared for the national polls “whether it is the mother or father of all elections”.

“We must be ready to determine the political landscape of the country, which will also show the maturity of our voters,” he said, expressing confidence that Malaysians would make a wise decision.

Saying ‘I do’: Hamzah (right) witnessing a civil marriage registration ceremony at the NRD headquarters in Putrajaya. — Bernama

“Our country needs leaders who are responsible and of integrity.”

On the expected floods, Hamzah said the NRD would assist with the issuance of identification documents through its Menyemai Kasih Rakyat (Mekar) programme.

“In Malaysia, floods happen in ‘pockets’ and not everywhere simultaneously. The recent floods in Langkawi, Johor, Sarawak and others, for example. Mekar will be ready to assist,” he said.

Mekar is an on-the-field programme for the issuance of identification documents such as Mykad and birth certificates for the disabled, senior citizens, the bedridden and interior folk.

Hamzah also said the NRD would introduce a new version of birth certificates, which will have the latest security features, next year.

Launching the new design of the document yesterday, he said the latest security features would include a watermark to prevent forgery.

He said the new birth certificates would only be issued to children born next year onwards and existing birth certificates could still be used and need not be changed.

In a statement, the department said a total of 38 NRD documents, which include birth and marriage certificates, will be upgraded starting next year mainly in terms of security features.