KUALA LUMPUR - A new logo is set to officially join Malaysia's political arena, the Pakatan Harapan's symbol of a white arrowhead on a red background.

The logo was not used in the May general election because at that time the Registrar of Societies had not approved the registration of the four-party alliance.

These parties had instead used the logo of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) led by Anwar Ibrahim as their common logo in the polls, except in Sarawak where they used their own party flags.

The PKR logo was again used in the just-concluded Sungai Kandis by-election in Selangor, which features a PKR candidate.

But at the next by-election in Selangor, for the state assembly seat of Balakong, the new logo will be used, PH officials say.

The PH arrowhead logo has been described on social media as being akin to the famous Star Trek button seen on the uniforms of the staff of the fictional spacecraft USS Enterprise.

The four PH parties comprise multiracial PKR, the Chinese-led Democratic Action Party (DAP), Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's Malay-based Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, and Parti Amanah Negara, a moderate Islamic party.

DAP chairperson Tan Kok Wai told Malaysiakini news site on Saturday (Aug 4): "Two days ago, the Pakatan Harapan presidential council meeting resolved that component parties will use the Harapan logo" in Balakong.

He said all the PH parties should use the coalition's logo in future elections.

"I think, from Balakong by-election onwards, we should use the same logo," he told Malaysiakini. "We are Harapan, and we should use a single logo wholeheartedly to show the unity of the four component parties."

On Friday evening, Mr Xavier Jayakumara, a PKR vice-president, said the Sungai Kandis by-election would be the last time PKR would use its own logo in an election.

The Umno-led Barisan Nasional parties - which used to have 13 members, but which is now reduced to three - use a common logo in elections and by-elections - a pair of white weighing scales on a dark blue background.