Anwar, Guan Eng pledge support for Mahathir
KUALA LUMPUR: DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim have reaffirmed their support for Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to lead the nation.
Both said Mahathir had told them he does not want to work with Umno or anyone associated with the previous regime.
Anwar, who spoke to the media after an audience with the King, said the prime minister felt that he had been cheated and would not work with those who were corrupt.
“He (Mahathir) felt that it is not honourable of some within his party and outside to use his name (to form a new government through the back door),” Anwar said.
On Sunday, former PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali had met PPBM leaders as well as those from Umno,
PAS, Warisan, MCA and MIC in an attempt to form a new government.
When asked if he would be the eighth prime minister, Anwar said: “We shall see”.
At a press conference after a DAP emergency meeting, Lim said that when he met Mahathir in the morning, the prime minister told him he did not want to work with Umno under a new coalition that would form the government, supposedly consisting of PPBM and the current opposition.
“He said having worked so hard to topple the previous federal government in the last general election, he could not work with Umno again,” Lim said.
“This is the first time that a Malaysian prime minister is prepared to resign on principle, to uphold integrity and combat corruption.”
In view of this, Lim said DAP would propose to the PH presidential council to renominate Mahathir as the prime minister.
He reiterated that PH still had enough seats in Parliament to remain in power.
He, however, conceded that the real test would come when the House convenes again in March.
“Many parties are holding meetings and press conferences. Let’s wait and see.”
Lim said PH would still be able retain a simple majority even after PPBM left the coalition, together with 11 PKR MPS, who have quit their party.
He declined to explain how PH could still retain control of Parliament with the departure of PPBM, which has 26 seats, and the 11 from PKR as this left PH with only 101 seats, 11 short of the 112 needed for a simple majority.