Anwar reaffirms support for Dr M

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has lashed out at those trying to drive a wedge between him and the Prime Minister by creating speculation surrounding the move by Umno MPs to quit their party.

The PKR president said some people wanted to sow doubt in the ties between him and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and to pit them against each other.

“I will continue to support the efforts and leadership of Tun Dr Mahathir and will continue to work with him to flesh out the agreed Reformasi agenda,” said Anwar, who is Pakatan Harapan’s choice to succeed Dr Mahathir as the next prime minister.

Anwar was referring to the spate of resignations that has almost crippled Umno, which is the result of a proxy war between two opposing groups in the party, with one supporting Dr Mahathir and the other wanting to see Anwar move up.

Six Umno MPs announced their resignations on Friday while five MPs, two senators and nine assemblymen from Sabah Umno left the party on Wednesday.

Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) secretary-general Anuar Tahir said the Pakatan presidential council would decide on whether the coalition’s component parties could accept the Umno defectors.

“What we have discussed so far is that those who leave Umno but support Pakatan should remain as independents, and that no Pakatan party should immediately accept them,” said Anuar.

He said the date of the next Pakatan presidential council meeting to discuss the coalition’s stand on accepting the former Umno MPs would be decided next week.