'Pejuang rejected me when they rejected GTA' - Dr Mahathir

PUTRAJAYA - Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced his resignation as chairman of Party Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang) because the party was taking a different path.

He said the decision was made because Pejuang no longer wanted to cooperate with Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA).

Astro Awani previously reported that the former Langkawi member of parliament will now continue his political journey with GTA, a Malay-Muslim coalition of political parties and non-governmental organisations of which Pejuang was a member.

"I've been in the GTA for a while just as Pejuang.

"But now, Pejuang has headed in a different direction, which is why I stepped down.

"Pejuang rejected me when they rejected GTA," he said at the Bumiputera Entrepreneurs e-Forum: Building Bumiputera Economic Resilience and Future Challenges at the Perdana Leadership Foundation, here, on Saturday.

When asked about his plans, Dr Mahathir stated he would focus on strengthening the GTA.

On a separate note, he also said that GTA was open to receiving leaders who had been sacked by Umno previously.

"We will accept anyone who is clean and is willing to fight for the race, country, and religion," he said, adding that he has yet to receive any applications from any former Umno leaders.

Previously, Pejuang president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir said his father's action was due to a clash in their opinions regarding the cooperation with GTA after the 15th General Election (GE15).