Pejuang leaving GTA a rejection of me, says Dr M

PUTRAJAYA: The decision by Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang) to leave Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) is a signal of rejection of him, says Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“Pejuang rejecting GTA is like rejecting me. This is because I am in GTA but Pejuang does not want to be with us," said Dr Mahathir.

The Pejuang founder said that he now chooses to be with GTA.

“So, I have to choose whether to be with Pejuang, which I am still a member of or GTA. I choose to be with GTA,” he said when speaking the press at the Perdana Leadership Foundation here on Saturday (Feb 11).

The former premier added the reason behind Pejuang’s decision to leave the political pact was due to a shift in its direction.

Dr Mahathir said GTA’s current focus is to reinforce the political parties under the pact.

When asked if GTA was willing to accept former Umno members, he said that anyone who has similar goals for the betterment of the country, race and religion is welcome to join.

He then said that those who have been sacked or resigned from other political parties have yet to approach them about joining.

“We (GTA) will work with anyone (political coalition) who have similar goals. But we have yet to register ourselves (as a political party), “he said.

On Friday (Feb 10), 13 Pejuang members, including its former chairman Dr Mahathir quit the party.

This comes after Pejuang president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir announced (Jan 14) that it was leaving GTA after taking views from delegates during their second general assembly following poor performance in the 15th General Elections. (GE15)

Dr Mahathir founded Pejuang in 2020, but later quit as chairman after losing all 369 parliamentary and state seats it contested during GE15.

He later founded GTA in Aug 2022, a political pact comprising of Pejuang, Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia (Putra), Parti Barisan Jemaah Islamiah Se-Malaysia (Berjasa) and Parti Perikatan India Muslim Nasional (IMAN) as well as several non-governmental organisations under Gagasan Bersatu (GB).