Ex-Melaka DAP chief rejects 'PH Plus' electoral pact with Bersatu

Former Melaka DAP chairman Damian Yeo has publicly rejected overtures for an electoral cooperation between Pakatan Harapan and Bersatu, signalling deep-seated reservations within the opposition coalition over realigning with the Muhyiddin Yassin-led party.

Yeo's dismissal underscores the persistent tensions stemming from the Sheraton Move of February 2020, when Bersatu's defection from the PH government precipitated its collapse and triggered a political crisis. The move, orchestrated from a Kuala Lumpur hotel, remains a defining moment of betrayal for many PH members.

"The wounds are still fresh," Yeo indicated, reflecting the sentiment of party members who view reconciliation with Bersatu as premature and fraught with risk. His stance suggests significant internal resistance to any "PH Plus" framework that would incorporate Bersatu into electoral arrangements.

The divergence highlights challenges facing opposition efforts to present a unified front. While some quarters have explored the possibility of cooperation with Bersatu to strengthen electoral prospects, grassroots opposition members and party veterans remain wary of engaging with a party blamed for dismantling the previous government.

Yeo's position is likely to resonate among DAP supporters and other PH members who view the Sheraton Move as a watershed moment in Malaysian politics, complicating any broader coalition-building efforts ahead of future electoral contests.