Pakatan Harapan | |
|---|---|
 | |
| English name | Alliance of Hope |
| Abbreviation | PH |
| Chairman | Anwar Ibrahim |
| Deputy President | |
| Founded | 22 September 2015 (2015-09-22) |
| Legalised | 16 May 2018 (2018-05-16)[1] |
| Preceded by | Pakatan Rakyat |
| Headquarters |
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| Newspaper |
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| Student wing | Pakatan Harapan Students |
| Youth wing | Pakatan Harapan Youth |
| Women's wing | Pakatan Harapan Women |
| Ideology | Social liberalism Social democracy Progressivism |
| Political position | Centre-left |
| National affiliation | National Unity Government(since 2022) |
| Regional affiliation | Gabungan Rakyat Sabah(since 2023) |
| Colours | |
| Dewan Negara | 20 / 70 |
| Dewan Rakyat | 79 / 222 |
| State Legislative Assemblies | 140 / 611 |
| Chief minister of states | 3 / 13 |
| Election symbol | |
(except DAP Sarawak)  (DAP Sarawak only) | |
| Party flag | |
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| Website | |
| pakatanharapan 2022 campaign website | |
| This article is part ofa series on the |
| Politics of Malaysia |
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Pakatan Harapan (PH; stylised asHARAPAN; English:Alliance of Hope) is aMalaysianpolitical coalition consisting ofcentre-left political parties which was formed in 2015 to succeed thePakatan Rakyat coalition. It has led agrand coalition government since November 2022, having previously led a single-coalition government from May 2018 to February 2020.
It is currently the largest coalition in theDewan Rakyat with 79 seats and is part of the state governments of seven of 13 states in the country, comprisingPenang,Selangor,Negeri Sembilan,Perak,Pahang,Malacca andSabah. It also providesconfidence and supply inJohor for its state government led byBarisan Nasional (BN).
The coalition consists of theDemocratic Action Party (DAP),People's Justice Party (PKR) andParti Amanah Negara (AMANAH).
The coalition deposed the Barisan Nasional coalition government during the2018 Malaysian general election, ending its 60-year-long reign (counted together with its predecessor,Alliance) since independence. Pakatan Harapan fell from power as a result of the2020 Malaysian political crisis, when its chairman and then-Prime MinisterMahathir Mohamad resigned from office, and hisMalaysian United Indigenous Party (BERSATU) left the coalition along with 11 members of parliament from PKR.[2]
After the2022 Malaysian general election resulted in ahung parliament, Pakatan Harapan entered into coalition withBarisan Nasional (BN),Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS),Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS),WARISAN,Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM),Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (MUDA),Social Democratic Harmony Party (KDM), andindependents to form what is commonly referred to as a national unity government, with PH chairmanAnwar Ibrahim as prime minister.
Pakatan Harapan is a direct successor to the three-partyPakatan Rakyat coalition that consisted of thePeople's Justice Party, theDemocratic Action Party and thePan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS). Disagreements and conflict between PAS and DAP mainly regarding the implementation ofsharia law resulted in the predecessor coalition's break-up in June 2015,[3][4] and it was replaced by a new coalition in September 2015 formed by the remnants of Pakatan Rakyat and a new PAS splinter party, theNational Trust Party.[5][6]
On 12 November 2016, aUnited Malays National Organisation (UMNO) splinter party, theMalaysian United Indigenous Party (BERSATU), founded and led by former Malaysian prime minister,Mahathir Mohamad, confirmed that the party was committed to joining Pakatan Harapan.[7][8] It succeeded in forming an electoral pact with the coalition in December before finally becoming a member in March the next year.[9][10]
The coalition's presidential council was confirmed in preparation for the coalition's registration. Mahathir was made the coalition's chairman andWan Azizah Wan Ismail president, with then-imprisoned opposition leader and Wan Azizah's husband Anwarde facto leader. The logo was initially planned to be used by all participating candidates for the2018 general election,[11] but was rejected by Registrar of Societies and cited as a reason as to why the coalition could not be registered,[12] while theHome Affairs Ministry later cited "issues" related to DAP and BERSATU after a new logo was submitted.[13] The coalition was not registered in time for the general election and in pursuance of its plan to contest under a common logo, it was announced that the component parties would use the logo of PKR on the ballots instead, except inSabah andSarawak, where the local party chapters opted to use their respective logos.[14][15] The coalition secured an electoral pact with the Sabah-basedSabah Heritage Party (WARISAN) before the election, with party presidentShafie Apdal promising members it would be represented in the federal cabinet if the coalition came to power.[16]
In the 2018 election held on 9 May, Pakatan Harapan managed to win a simple majority of seats in theDewan Rakyat, dislodging Barisan as the ruling coalition and ending its 60-year long stint in government. Following the coalition's victory, theUnited Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation announced their exit from Barisan and that they would seek to form a state government in Sabah with WARISAN and Pakatan Harapan.[17]
The coalition also formed the government in thestates ofKedah,Penang,Perak,Selangor,Malacca,Negeri Sembilan,Johor andSabah.[note 1] It commanded a two-thirds majority in the states of Penang, Selangor and Johor.
Two days after a court date had been set for a hearing on the issue of the coalition's non-registration lodged against the Registrar, it was announced that Pakatan's registration had been officially approved on 17 May, eight days after its victory in the election.[18]
In a 2020 article published in theISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute Journal of Southeast Asian Affairs, the Australian academic Ross Tapsell wrote of the coalition's efforts to ensure an independent process for former prime minister Najib's trial on corruption charges, the establishment of an independent anti-corruption commission, and the repealing of anti-fake news legislation, but also of the lack of action regardingdecentralisation in relation to theBorneon states of Sabah and Sarawak, education reform, issues relating to the country's indigenous peoples (Orang Asli), racial inequality and political patronage, commenting that the Pakatan government was distracted by factional infighting.[19]
Mahathir unexpectedly resigned as prime minister on 24 February 2020. His party, controlling 26 members of parliament, withdrew from the coalition in support of his decision, along with 11 members of parliament from the People's Justice Party led by Anwar's deputy,Azmin Ali. The announcement was made amid speculation that Mahathir intended to form a new governing coalition that would've excluded Anwar, fueled in part by questions raised by the latter's supporters over his status as Mahathir's designated successor, whichCNN reported as part of the pair's longstanding rivalry.[2][20] Despite this, Anwar believed that Mahathir was not member to any plans to exclude him from power. The political crisis sparked by Mahathir's resignation culminated in the coalition government's collapse, as it no longer had a majority in parliament. Eventually, a new rival coalition led by Mahathir's deputy,Muhyiddin Yassin, consisting of BERSATU and PAS namedPerikatan Nasional, formed a new government with the support of Barisan.
The coalition thus lost its control over the states of Johor, Malacca, Perak and Kedah while a number of PKR, DAP and AMANAH representatives in those state assemblies left their parties and expressed support for the incoming state governments led by Perikatan.[21][22][23]
In the2022 Malaysian general election, Pakatan won most of its seats in the Dewan Rakyat in the states of Selangor, Johor, Penang, Perak, Melaka, and Negeri Sembilan, while losing to Perikatan Nasional candidates in the states ofKelantan,Terengganu,Kedah, andPerlis by large margins. It won the largest number of seats with 82, but fell short of the 112 needed for a simple majority. It formed agrand coalition with Barisan Nasional, two other coalitions, four parties, and independents following theYang di-Pertuan Agong's counsel that a unity government should be formed as a result of the hung parliament. While an offer was extended to Perikatan, it chose to sit as the official opposition. This arrangement was replicated on the state-level, with Pakatan participating in the government of seven states while providing confidence and supply in Johor.
Of the four states that chose to hold state elections simultaneously, Pakatan won 24 seats in thePerak State Legislative Assembly, 1 in thePerlis State Legislative Assembly and 8 in thePahang State Legislative Assembly. It formed a coalition government with Barisan Nasional in Perak and Pahang.
While the Pakatan Harapan coalition is not a member of anypolitical internationals or confederations, some of its component parties are. The Democratic Action Party is a founding member of theProgressive Alliance. The People's Justice Party was listed as an observer member of theLiberal International but has since been de-listed after its leader Anwar Ibrahim publicly denied that the party was a member of any political international.
| Flag | Name | Ideology | Position | Leader(s) | Seats contested | 2022 result | Current seats | State Legislature seats | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes (%) | Seats | Composition | |||||||||
| Member parties | |||||||||||
 | KEADILAN | People's Justice Party Parti Keadilan Rakyat | Reformism Social liberalism | Centre-left | Anwar Ibrahim | 102 | 15.74% | 31 / 222 | 31 / 79 | 38 / 611 | |
| DAP | Democratic Action Party Parti Tindakan Demokratik | Social democracy Multiculturalism | Centre-left | Anthony Loke Siew Fook | 55 | 15.61% | 40 / 222 | 40 / 79 | 90 / 611 | |
 | AMANAH | National Trust Party Parti Amanah Negara | Progressivism Islamic modernism | Centre-left | Mohamad Sabu | 54 | 5.70% | 8 / 222 | 8 / 79 | 12 / 611 | |
| No. | Name (Birth–Death) | Portrait | Term of office | Time in office | Political party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mahathir Mohamad (b.1925) | .jpg) | 14 July 2017 | 24 February 2020 | 2 years, 225 days | BERSATU | |
| 2 | Anwar Ibrahim (b.1947) | .png) | 14 May 2020 | Incumbent | 5 years, 198 days | PKR | |
| No. | Name (Birth–Death) | Portrait | Term of office | Time in office | Political party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (b.1952) |  | 14 July 2017 | Incumbent | 8 years, 137 days | PKR |
| No. | Name (Birth–Death) | Portrait | Term of office | Time in office | Political party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zuraida Kamaruddin (b.1958) | 14 August 2017 | 24 February 2020 | 2 years, 194 days | PKR | |
| 2 | Chong Eng (b. 1957) | 18 March 2021 | 12 September 2021 | 178 days | DAP | |
| 3 | Aiman Athirah Sabu (b.1972) | 12 September 2021 | Incumbent | 4 years, 77 days | AMANAH | |
| No. | Name (Birth–Death) | Portrait | Term of office | Time in office | Political party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (b. 1982) |  | 31 October 2017 | 13 December 2018 | 1 year, 43 days | PKR |
| 2 | Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (b. 1992) | .jpg) | 13 December 2018 | 24 February 2020 | 1 year, 73 days | BERSATU |
| 3 | Shazni Munir Mohd Ithnin (1987–2021) | 4 March 2021 | 6 August 2021 | 155 days | AMANAH | |
| 4 | Howard Lee Chuan How (b. 1983) | .jpg) | 12 September 2021 | 29 July 2022 | 320 days | DAP |
| 5 | Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen (b. 1986) | .jpg) | 29 July 2022 | 11 March 2025 | 2 years, 225 days | DAP |
| 6 | Woo Kah Leong (b. 1991) |  | 11 March 2025 | Incumbent | 262 days | DAP |
Pakatan Harapan has 79 members in theHouse of Representatives .
| State | Leader type | Member | Party | State Constituency | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Negeri Sembilan | Menteri Besar | Aminuddin Harun | PKR | Sikamat | |
 Penang | Chief Minister | Chow Kon Yeow | DAP | Padang Kota | |
 Selangor | Menteri Besar | Amirudin Shari | PKR | Sungai Tua | |
Pakatan Harapan also forms the state governments ofPahang,Perak,Melaka andJohor in coalition withBarisan Nasional, and the state government ofSabah in coalition withGabungan Rakyat Sabah, following the formation of the federal unity government (Kerajaan Perpaduan) in the aftermath of the 15th general election of November 2022.
| State | Leader type | Member | Party | State Constituency | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penang | Deputy Chief Minister I | Mohamad Abdul Hamid | PKR | Batu Maung | |
| Penang | Deputy Chief Minister II | Jagdeep Singh Deo | DAP | Datok Keramat | |
| State | Leader type | Member | Party | State Constituency | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Malacca | Deputy Speaker | Kerk Chee Yee | DAP | Ayer Keroh | |
| Negeri Sembilan | Speaker | Mk Ibrahim Abdul Rahman | AMANAH | Non-MLA | |
 Pahang | Deputy Speaker | Lee Chin Chen | DAP | Bilut | |
| Penang | Speaker | Law Choo Kiang | PKR | Non-MLA | |
| Penang | Deputy Speaker | Azrul Mahathir Aziz | AMANAH | Bayan Lepas | |
 Perak | Deputy Speaker | Jenny Choy Tsi Jen | DAP | Canning | |
| Selangor | Speaker | Lau Weng San | DAP | Non-MLA | |
| Selangor | Deputy Speaker | Mohd Kamri Kamaruddin | PKR | Bukit Antarabangsa | |
| Election | Total seats won | Seats contested | Total votes | Voting Percentage | Outcome of election | Election leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 122 / 222 | 222 | 5,615,822 | 45.56% |  53 seats;Governing coalition (2018–2020)laterOpposition coalition (2020–2022) | Mahathir Mohamad |
| 2022 | 82 / 222 | 220 | 5,801,327 | 37.46% |  40 seats;Governing coalition withBarisan Nasional,Gabungan Parti Sarawak,Gabungan Rakyat Sabah andParti Warisan | Anwar Ibrahim |
| State election | State Legislative Assembly | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perlis | Kedah | Kelantan | Terengganu | Penang | Perak | Pahang | Selangor | Negeri Sembilan | Malacca | Johor | Sabah | Sarawak | Total won / Total contested | |
| 2/3 majority | 2 / 3 | 2 / 3 | 2 / 3 | 2 / 3 | 2 / 3 | 2 / 3 | 2 / 3 | 2 / 3 | 2 / 3 | 2 / 3 | 2 / 3 | 2 / 3 | 2 / 3 | |
| 2016 | 10 / 82 | |||||||||||||
| 2018 | 3 / 15 | 18 / 36 | 0 / 45 | 0 / 32 | 37 / 40 | 29 / 59 | 9 / 42 | 51 / 56 | 20 / 36 | 15 / 28 | 36 / 56 | 29 / 60 | 241 / 587 | |
| 2020 | 32 / 73 | |||||||||||||
| 2021 | 5 / 28 | 5 / 28 | ||||||||||||
| 2021 | 2 / 82 | 2 / 62 | ||||||||||||
| 2022 | 12 / 56 | 12 / 50 | ||||||||||||
| 2022 | 1 / 15 | 24 / 59 | 8 / 42 | 33 / 115 | ||||||||||
| 2023 | 3 / 36 | 1 / 45 | 0 / 32 | 27 / 40 | 32 / 56 | 17 / 36 | 80 / 137 | |||||||
| 2025 | 0 / 73 | 0 / 22 | ||||||||||||
This was a big decision for us, to be able to exercise our autonomy and decide for ourselves. We chose to use our own respective party flags. So, PKR, DAP and Amanah flags will be used here.
