PETALING JAYA: Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (pic) has been given a full mandate by Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia to negotiate cooperation with other parties ahead of the 15th General Election, says Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin.

       The Bersatu secretary-general said this was decided at a party supreme council meeting on Tuesday (April 5), chaired by Muhyiddin.

       “The Bersatu supreme council decided to give full mandate to the political bureau chaired by the president to discuss the party’s strategy to face the coming general election with other political parties,” said Hamzah.

       In a statement on Wednesday (April 6), Hamzah also said that the Bersatu supreme council has discussed other issues regarding party management, current political developments and the outcome of the recently concluded Johor state election.

       Perikatan Nasional, which consists of PAS, Gerakan, Sabah STAR, and Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), only managed to win three out of the 56 seats it contested.

       In the Melaka election last year, Perikatan only won two out of the 28 seats it contested.

       Reports of Muhyiddin meeting other party leaders arose last week, and several party leaders have confirmed meeting the Pagoh MP following the Johor elections on March 12.

       Parti Pejuang Tanah Air chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had claimed that Muhyiddin wanted support to be prime minister once again, and the Langkawi MP said he had rejected the proposal.

       Bersatu Youth later said it was Dr Mahathir who wanted to meet Muhyiddin following the Johor state election and he had sent an emissary to reach out.

       Muhyiddin later clarified that his meeting with Dr Mahathir was part of the initiative to explore possible avenues of cooperation to take on GE15, but no final decision had been reached yet.

       Muhyiddin also said that after the Johor election concluded in mid-March, he was approached by leaders of several political parties.

       Meanwhile, PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim confirmed that he met Muhyiddin several times, but never discussed political cooperation or support for Muhyiddin to be prime minister again.

       DAP and Parti Amanah Negara, in a statement on April 3, rejected any form of cooperation, given Muhyiddin’s role in the “Sheraton Move” that ended Pakatan Harapan’s 22-month administration.

       The week-long political impasse dubbed the “Sheraton Move” saw the exit of Bersatu and 11 PKR MPs in February 2020, triggering the collapse of the Pakatan government.

       Bersatu and the former PKR MPs later went on to form the Perikatan government led by Muhyiddin.

       Muhyiddin later resigned after being premier for 17th months and he was replaced by Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who is the current prime minister.