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Monday September 15, 2008 MYT 11:55:39 PM

Anwar claims the numbers, PM says 'not' (Update 2)


PETALING JAYA: Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim once again claimed that Pakatan Rakyat "has the numbers" and is ready to take over the Federal Government on Tuesday, Sept 16.

He added that Sept 16 will mark a “clear and concrete movement towards a change in the Federal Government.”

At a Pakatan Rakyat gathering to commemorate the 45th Malaysia Day at the Kelana Jaya stadium here on Monday night, he urged his supporters to have faith.

Anwar's claim was immediately panned by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and other Barisan Nasional leaders.

Abdullah scoffed at the Opposition's plans, saying it was "a nuisance" and "preposterous."

He said the people had become very uneasy with this “naughty” speculation that the government would be toppled.

“It’s better to so something worthwhile instead of indulging in unecessary coffee shop talk,” he said after breaking fast with the people in Kuala Terengganu.

He said the best thing to do was not to entertain such talk posted in websites, adding: “The current government will remain strong.”

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said there was no way there would be a change in government on Tuesday.

“It’s not going to happen,” he said.

Nazri said Parliament had to be in session and it was not sitting currently, and there should be a constructive vote of no-confidence in Parliament such as by defeating a Bill.

He noted that there were two attempts by the Opposition not too long ago but they did not materialise.

“So, it’s a waste of time talking about it. Anwar is always doing a con job to trick the rakyat. You can kid the people once, twice but not all the time,” he said when contacted.

Deputy Home Minister Datuk Wan Farid Wan Salleh said Anwar “should stop playing mind games.”

“For someone who aspires to be the future leader of the country, he must behave like one, and not like a politician hungry for power,” he added.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Anwar’s goal to capture enough Barisan MPs to topple the government today was an unnatural political act.

“If they want to form a government, it has to be done through the democratic process of the general election, not through the back door,” he said.

PKR treasurer and Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang, and DAP secretary general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng were among those who attended the gathering in Kelana Jaya.

Thousands of supporters had packed the stadium, shouting “Reformasi” and issuing challenges to the ruling Barisan government.

Anwar had previously announced that he had sufficient numbers of Barisan Nasional Members of Parliament who were going to cross over to the opposition alliance for him to form a new government on Tuesday, Sept 16.

But sodomy allegations, a hastily-arranged overseas trip by Barisan backbenchers and a crackdown using the Internal Security Act had threatened to put the brakes on the PKR adviser’s takeover plans.

Earlier Tuesday, a group of Pakatan Rakyat MPs handed over a letter from their leaders to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at his office in Putrajaya.

The MPs - PKR’s Johari Abdul, DAP’s Loke Siew Fook and PAS’ Dr Hatta Ramli - claimed the letter was “definitely something related to the planned Sept 16 takeover”.

Anwar said the letter called for the release of all ISA detainees and for a meeting to discuss the “smooth transition of power.”

“We will give the Prime Minister time to consider the evidence given and will announce Pakatan Rakyat’s status tomorrow (Tuesday),” he said.

Earlier, DAP’s Lim Kit Siang said that six months ago, the idea of taking over the government would have been unthinkable.

“But now the people believe ... it’s not when 916 (or Sept 16) will happen, but the fact that Pakatan can actually topple the government,” he said, adding that the ISA arrests of an online portal editor, an MP and a journalist had pipped things to the opposition alliance’s favour.

PAS secretary-general Kamaruddin Jaafar went so far as to say that the new “Pakatan federal government” will include Barisan members who have rejected their component parties.

The other leaders also spoke about the use of the ISA against civilians, with Selangor’s Khalid saying that the state government would work to release all detainees.

Penang’s Lim Guan Eng urged other Barisan leaders to follow the example of de facto Law Minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim and resign if they too objected to the use of the ISA.

He also applauded Zaid for being “the first Barisan leader to quit for his principles and idealism.”

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