When the dust settles after the next general election, especially if a Pakatan Harapan (PH) government were to be installed, history is likely to mark July 14, 2017 as the turning point that made the difference.
A press conference was held at 12.30am on July 14, 2017 at the PKR headquarters. PH unveiled its symbol, leadership line-up and initial policy platforms.
The historical moment could be experienced in many ways. It was the end of a four-hour long meeting; the joyous conclusion of months of agony of how to effectively consolidate Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia with the existing PH parties, namely PKR, DAP and Amanah; and the grand reconciliation of an acrimonious two-decade political battle between Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, and the forces aligned with them.
Regardless, a new air prevails everywhere. There is a sudden surge of hope that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Umno and BN can now be defeated.
And visibly, the Najib administration did panic. Ministers were still sticking to the old script that the DAP calls the shots in PH in order to put fear into Malay voters while Najib stood in front attacking Mahathir as if their roles had changed – Mahathir the establishment and Najib the opposition.
