Ramasamy: Muhyiddin's grip with non-Madani party leaders crucial to bolster opposition unity
The three-hour meeting held in Kuala Lumpur was aimed at strengthening the opposition by forging unity among political parties operating outside the framework of the Pakatan Harapan (PH)-led coalition.
Present at the meeting were leaders of Berjasa, PUTRA, Pejuang, Urimai (United Rights of Malaysian Party), MAP (Malaysian Advancement Party), PPP (People's Progressive Party), Gerakan, MIPP (Malaysian Indian People's Party), MUDA and several others.
During the discussions, Muhyiddin gathered diverse views on how to enhance the opposition's appeal – particularly among non-Malay communities such as the Chinese and Indians.
There was a collective recognition that both Bersatu and PAS need to adopt a more inclusive approach in strengthening ties with these communities.
It was generally agreed that while the Indian community shows increasing receptiveness toward PN, the Chinese community remains hesitant though disillusionment with DAP appears to be growing.
'Madani losing appeal'
A notable suggestion was made to form a political bloc separate from the PN coalition which is aimed specifically at garnering support from the Chinese and Indian communities.
Overall, the meeting was seen as positive and productive, offering a serious platform to strategise PN's approach toward winning broader multiracial support.
Recent by-elections were cited as examples: while Chinese voters may remain reluctant to embrace PAS, there is a discernible shift away from the Madani government as reflected in declining voter turnout and growing dissatisfaction.
As the head of Urimai, I expressed my full support for the creation of a political bloc outside the government.
Such a bloc could serve to consolidate the strength of the opposition – especially among Chinese and Indian voters – in anticipation of a more profound electoral shift in the next general elections.
Finally, it was agreed that Muhyiddin would present the consolidated views of the party leaders to the PN supreme council to chart a way forward on the question of non-Malay support.
While the Chinese and Indian communities may currently be cautious about fully backing the opposition, PN must take the initiative to engage with them meaningfully.
It is only through mutual effort that both the non-Malay communities and PN can find common ground to overcome the PH-led coalition. – July 19, 2025
Former DAP stalwart and Penang chief minister II Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is chairman of the United Rights of Malaysian Party (Urimai) interim council.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
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