While the proposal sounded appealing, he said, the six politicians – Wan Saiful Wan Jan, Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal, Rafizi Ramli, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Khairy Jamaluddin and himself – differed significantly in both personality and ideology.
“It’s an interesting view, but it won’t happen because we all have our own views and there’s no guarantee of ideological coordination,” he told FMT.
“Those who are fans of all or some of us might say nice-sounding things like we’re idealistic and principled, but detractors usually brand this type of figures as stubborn, hypocritical and not team players.
“All six of us have this ‘independent streak’ that makes us always question things and not just fall in line. It would make working together not straightforward if there wasn’t a shared agenda.
“Within the six there might be natural micro-alliances. But to get all six behind a shared agenda and leader? Good luck with that,” he added.
Shahril was responding to FMT columnist Tajuddin Rasdi, who had proposed that the six – all of whom have been sidelined or removed from their respective parties – form a new political party to promote a progressive brand of Malay politics to challenge narrow racial and religious narratives.
Khairy was sacked from Umno in January 2023, while Shahril was suspended for six years. Wan Saiful was expelled from Bersatu last month while Wan Fayhsal was suspended. They had been accused of breaching party rules.
Rafizi and Nik Nazmi lost in the PKR central leadership polls in May, and subsequently resigned as federal ministers.
Shahril also said the six of them do not share the same voter base, which would complicate efforts to build a single party.
“Those who support Rafizi may not like Khairy, and vice versa. Those who support Wan Fayhsal for his Malay-centric views may not necessarily support Nik Nazmi, who is more technocratic,” he said.
Separately, Wan Fayhsal acknowledged that the time may eventually come for new political formations to emerge, but said the they were all currently focused on their respective paths.
“The time for a truly new party will come one day. But for now, each of us is fighting our own battles,” he said.