PETALING JAYA: Annuar Musa’s Muafakat Nasional (MN) NGO will likely play an important role in changing Perikatan Nasional’s conservative image to a moderate one, according to an analyst.
Awang Azman Pawi of Universiti Malaya said MN would eventually become PN-friendly because the NGO is led by the likes of Annuar and former Umno Selangor chief Noh Omar, who are said to be on good terms with Bersatu leaders.
“It will likely help change PN’s image from one that relies on racial and religious rhetoric to something more moderate but yet still Malay-dominant, closer to Bersatu’s nature,” he told FMT.
He said he considered MN to be more of a social movement formed to strengthen support for PN in the long term.
Yesterday, Annuar unveiled the line-up of MN leaders. They included politicians like former Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin, Bersatu’s Redzuan Yusof, PAS’ Zuhdi Marsuki, Pejuang’s Khairuddin Abu Hassan as well as celebrities like singer Jamal Abdillah and actor Eizlan Yusoff.
There are three non-Malays in the leadership, namely Chua Hock Kuan, Subash Chandrabose and former Segamat MP Edmund Santhara Kumar.