KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 22: A new opposition coalition has been officially formed, taking the name Pakatan Harapan as a sign of new hope to Malaysians.

In a statement today, opposition leader Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said, the leadership crisis and financial stress faced by the rakyat as a result of the failures of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s leadership needed an immediate resolution.

“The longer this crisis continues, the longer the people will be victims in making ends meet and being pawns in a political game by several quarters. This crisis has spurred the opposition parties to unite to better fight the Barisan Nasional/Umno rule, and the people’s hopes are in this opposition pact to fight the abuse of power and poor governance of Najib,” she said.

The statement, signed by DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang, Wan Azizah, and the president of newly-formed Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) Muhamad Sabu, also formally announce the formation of the opposition coalition.

“We will function as a strong political coalition to face and fight the BN, and to protect the rakyat from today,” Wan Azizah said.

She added that the coalition will form a special committee to fine-tune the terms of the coalition as well as its common policy frameworks.

“Other parties, if they at some point in the future can subscribe to our policies and principles, and can agree to the coalition decision making framework, then we will welcome them,” Wan Azizah added.

Pakatan Amanah will also announce former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim as its candidate for prime minister.

“We are confident that the formation of Pakatan Harapan will give new hope to all Malaysians towards a nation that is just, inclusive, competitive, welfare-orientated and in adherence to the rule of law,” Wan Azizah added.