Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has revealed tonight the full name of his new political party: Parti Pejuang Tanah Air or just Pejuang in short, Malay for “Fighters of the Nation Party”.
In the ceremony to name its first candidate for the upcoming Perak state assembly seat Slim by-election, Dr Mahathir urged Bersatu members to support and join his new party, instead of staying with Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
“Those who feel that the Bersatu had a ‘blackout’ can now feel the brightness again. Because we have not been able to register our party, we call ourselves independent candidates.
“That is why I hope all the fighters of the race in Slim can support our party’s candidate, Parti Pejuang Tanah Air.
“Those who reject corrupt and money politics can start by voting for our candidate,” he told hundreds of attendees at the ceremony.
In his speech, Dr Mahathir urged Slim voters to fight against those in power, including his former party president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, whom he said he no longer trusted following the February political fiasco that led to the collapse of his government.
Dr Mahathir had earlier named lawyer Amir Khusyairi Mohamad Tanusi as Pejuang’s candidate, contesting as an independent.
Amir is a Syariah lawyer who holds a Bachelor of Laws from the International Islamic University of Malaysia and is fluent in three languages, including Arabic.
His wife is Dr Nur Aainaa Othman, a radiologist at Teluk Intan Hospital and a visiting specialist at Slim River Hospital. They have five children.
The 39-year-old Slim resident was born in Perak.
He contested as the Teluk Intan Bersatu division chief in the last party election.
Former deputy foreign minister Marzuki Yahya is the Pejuang election director for the Slim campaign
In a show of solidarity, Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders, including Parti Amanah Negara president Mohamad Sabu, PKR’s vice-president Chang Lih Kang, and DAP’s national organising secretary Anthony Loke attended and spoke at the event.
Former Kedah menteri besar Mukhriz Mahathir, former education minister Maszlee Malik, former deputy finance minister Amiruddin Hamzah and former youth and sports minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman were also present.
Loke in his speech said PH will support the independent candidate as it aims to defeat Umno in a one-on-one battle.
“We feel the candidate Amir Khusyairi chosen by Dr Mahathir is the correct choice because this seat was contested by Bersatu before.
“But Bersatu now has earlier said that they don’t want to contest. So Pakatan Harapan thinks that the candidate must be chosen by Dr Mahathir,” he said
On July 31, Pakatan Harapan (PH) said that it will give way to Dr Mahathir’s group which was formerly known as ‘Bersatu Blackout’ to contest the state seat.
The Election Commission (EC) has set the date of the by-election for August 29.