Pakatan Harapan leaders hail Anwar’s ‘historic’ victory
PORT DICKSON: Pakatan Harapan leaders have hailed as “historic” PKR president-elect Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s landslide Port Dickson parliamentary by-election victory.
PKR secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said it was a “sweet victory” because Anwar “conquered” all the five state constituencies within the Port Dickson parliamentary constituency.
“In the last general election, (PH) won Chuah, Lukut and Sri Tanjung and lost Bagan Pinang and Linggi because the Malays reportedly did not support PH. But (yesterday), we also won in those two places.
“That’s why I regard this victory as sweet, because the people — the Malays, Chinese and Indians — have sent a clear signal to the whole country, in fact, the world — that they want Anwar as their representative in Parliament,” he said in a speech here.
Negri Sembilan PH chairman Aminuddin Harun, who is also state PKR chairman, said history was made in Port Dickson because the people want change.
“With the honest leadership under
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, I am con- fident we can bring about change.
“There is no corruption and abuse of power. I hope that with the history created, we can move forward with greater transparency. The leaders must also work harder,” he said.
PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil said Port Dickson voters had responded positively by awarding PH a bigger majority of more than 23,000 votes — almost 6,000 more than what was secured in the 14th General Election.
“It is clear that the people of Port Dickson want Datuk Seri Anwar as their representative.
“It can be said that seven out of 10 people here support him,” he said.
DAP veteran leader and adviser Lim Kit Siang said Anwar’s victory showed that the people’s support was not only for him as Port Dickson member of parliament, but also as the eighth prime minister.
“It is also support for the efforts to build a New Malaysia. The huge majority obtained by Anwar also shows the strong support of the people for him,” he said.
Former Port Dickson member of parliament Datuk Danyal Balagopal Abdullah, who resigned to enable Anwar to contest the seat, said he was happy with Anwar’s victory and will work with him to ensure the welfare of the con- stituents and development of Port Dickson.
“(His winning) with a bigger majority than mine reflects the people’s support for him, our next prime minister.
“We have also proved that the critics who said Anwar was contesting here (based on a) personal motive were wrong. We wanted Anwar to win so that he can demonstrate his capability,” he said.
Permatang Pauh member of parliament and Anwar’s daughter, Nurul Izzah, said the victory was for the rakyat and she thanked the people of Negri Sembilan, especially the constituents of Port Dickson, for having given her father the mandate.