Boo, who is Skudai assemblyman in Johor, said that it was important for the PH leadership to recognise the strength that PSM will bring to the pact.
“PSM’s grassroots work should be recognised as an added strength to PH compared with the theoretical strategists who think within the four walls of air-conditioned rooms.
“Their true down-to-earth grassroots work would help become another winning factor for PH from among the decisive minorities,” he said in a Facebook Live forum yesterday, which also featured PPBM deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir, Jimmy Pua (Johor PKR deputy chairman) and Zuljkefle Ahmad (Johor Amanah deputy chief).
Boo added that PH needs to dispel the view of some voters who see the opposition coalition as mimicking Barisan Nasional (BN).
The DAP assistant political education director said that PH’s founding component parties could do more in this case.
“PKR, DAP and Amanah as non-racial parties should act as the middle binding force for all other ideological parties in order for PH to be more acceptable to all Malaysians.
“Pakatan Harapan cannot compete with Umno-dominant BN by only aiming for rural Malay support while neglecting its increasingly silent support from its present bases in the urban areas and minorities,” he said, justifying his call for PH to invite more diverse parties to join.
Boo added that the PH leadership should consider PSM’s membership in the coalition by taking into account PSM’s focus on Indian estate workers and other blue collar workers.
“The same way that PH needs the support from the rural Malays and Felda settlers, and so does it need to gain ground at all fronts, including estate Indian workers who are a decisive minority factor in some constituencies.
“Furthermore, PSM’s long-term efforts to help estate workers and other blue collar workers would add vibrancy to PH’s own grassroots.”
DAP, PKR and Amanah had founded Pakatan Harapan in September 2015 and agreed to admit PPBM, led by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, and former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, as the fourth member of the coalition in March this year.