CYBERJAYA, Nov 11 — Simpang Renggam MP Maszlee Malik has insisted that he will remain independent while cooperating with Pakatan Harapan (PH) and the Opposition bloc in Parliament.
He said that he currently works closely with PH in his constituency where he organises aid contributed in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Asked about his future in politics, the former education minister told a press conference today that he will continue championing education issues through his non-governmental organisation (NGO) Rejuvenasi Pendidikan and the #UntukMalaysia movement.
“I have a strong, formidable and convincing number of people who care about the issue of education and think it is in dire straits and needs to be addressed for the people and the country,” he said, in a nod to Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s claim that he has the parliamentary majority in September.
He also announced today the launch of the #UntukMalaysia movement to coordinate efforts aimed at helping children stay focused on school during the pandemic.
Maszlee has been actively involved in causes related to the urban poor and children at risk of falling behind at school since his student days in Jordan and the United Kingdom.
On November 2, he announced that he had left Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang).
Maszlee, who was a pro-tem committee member of Pejuang, said he would continue to serve the people in his capacity as an independent MP and through NGO platforms.
“I believe status and position are not needed for reforms, but desire and opportunities,” he said in a statement.
Maszlee said he made this decision based on findings from field research and a careful study of people’s needs.
“I believe people are fed up with the political power play by political elites. The people want politicians who are focused on serving and can truly resolve the problems faced by the people now,” he added.
The registration of Pejuang, which was founded by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, has yet to be approved by the Registrar of Societies (RoS) at the time of writing.
