KUALA LUMPUR (July 15): The civil society platform being planned by the prime minister's brother, Datuk Seri Nazir Razak, has approached PAS progressive leaders who on Monday launched the New Hope Movement (GHB), Singapore's The Straits Times (ST) reports.
ST said former Umno deputy minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah, who is working alongside the prominent banker to bring together corporate bigwigs and activists in a new "non-partisan" organisation, had held talks with leaders of GHB, seen as a precursor to a new political party to replace PAS.
"We broadly agreed to continue cooperation in the future. If, for example, one of us starts an NGO and the other a new party, we will work closely and consult each other," the paper quoted Saifuddin as saying.
Saifuddin said he had discussed with PAS's Parit Buntar MP, Datuk Mujahid Yusof Rawa "on what we plan to do as they have often worked across the political divide in the past".
Confirming the talks, Mujahid, who is part of GHB, told ST he would need to discuss with others before deciding on a link-up with Nazir's organisation.
Last month, news portal Asia Sentinel reported that Nazir, who heads the CIMB Group, met business leaders in his UK headquarters and in Kuala Lumpur to discuss forming a new non-partisan political party to end “divisive racial politics".
Nazir later clarified that the plan was not for a political party, and said he had been talking with like-minded friends like Saifuddin on how to enable Malaysians to voice out concerns about the country's socio-political environment.
On Monday, former PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu, who lost with other progressive leaders in the PAS elections last month, launched GHB, a movement whose Islamic thrust he said would be based on the principles of inclusiveness, progressiveness and concern for the people.
Meanwhile, ST said a tie-up between Nazir's group and GHB could appeal to rural Malays.
"These voters often look up to successful Malay businessmen but are growing conscious of Islamic values," the paper said, quoting sources.