PUTRAJAYA, Aug 4 — Prominent human rights activist Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan welcomed today the formation of a new party led by former deputy prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Ambiga said the new party will add to the opposing voices in the political arena to the controversy surrounding state investment firm 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

"The more, the merrier. I would have thought it strengthens it. I think it will strengthen it,” the National Human Rights Society (Hakam) president told reporters outside the Prime Minister’s Office here, when asked if Muhyiddin’s party would strengthen or split the opposition voice on the 1MDB issue.

"We should wait and see how it works and I think it will work well.”

Muhyiddin will be the president of the new political party backed by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and will officially register it with the Registrar of Societies (RoS) tomorrow.

The pro tem committee members for the new party are Dr Mahathir, Muhyiddin, former Wanita Umno leader Anina Saadudin, Gabungan Ketua Cawangan Malaysia president Kamarul Azman Habibur Rahman, student group Challenger leader Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman and Akhramsyah Muammar Ubaidah Sanusi.

Dr Mahathir confirmed recently that he will be a founding member of a new political party that will ally with Pakatan Harapan to ensure straight fights against the Barisan Naisonal (BN) ruling coalition in the coming general elections.