Pejuang breaking off from GTA nothing to do with Dr M, says Pejuanita Muda chief

PETALING JAYA: Pejuang has no intention of "abandoning" its founder Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, instead it was adhering to the decision made at its annual general meeting (AGM) to no longer work with Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA), says Pejuanita Muda chief Dr Nurul Ashikin Mabahwi.

She said the majority of Pejuang members had decided that the party would empower itself and detach from GTA.

"We are respecting the outcome of our AGM," she told The Star.

"We reflected on the GE15 results, there is a necessity for us to strengthen our party from within, we are not in the capacity to complement them (GTA) nor do them to us," she added.

"As for his membership in Pejuang, we received his resignation letter on Friday (Feb 10). Only then he stated that by leaving GTA it was akin to us abandoning him. The truth is we had no intention to abandon him," she said.

Asked on whether Pejuang was looking to work with Pakatan Harapan, she said the party was looking for options but had yet to make a decision.

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

Dr Mahathir also equated Pejuang’s rejection of GTA to their rejection of him.

"Pejuang rejecting GTA is like them rejecting me. This is because I am in GTA, but Pejuang does not want to be in GTA," he said.

"So, I have to choose whether to be with Pejuang, of which I was still a member, or GTA. I chose to be with GTA," he told the press at the Perdana Leadership Foundation on Feb 11.