Tuesday September 16, 2008
Anwar insists he has enough Barisan MPs to form government
By LOONG MENG YEE, LISA GOH, STEVEN DANIEL, LESTER KONG and CHEOK LI PENG
PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim insists he has the numbers to form the next Government.
However, he did not give details of how many Barisan Nasional members will cross over, or their names.
At Pakatan Rakyat’s 45th Malaysia Day celebration yesterday, Anwar said he had sought a meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to discuss a smooth transition of power.
Showing support: The Pakatan gathering at the Kelana Jaya Stadium last night drew thousands of supporters. “We have handed a letter signed by all Pakatan Rakyat leaders to Pak Lah. We will give him one or two days to give his response,” he said during his speech at the rally in Kelana Jaya stadium last night.
A group of Pakatan Rakyat MPs had turned up at the Prime Minister’s Office earlier in the day to hand over a letter from their leaders to Abdullah.
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”.
PAS secretary-general Datuk Kamaruddin Jaafar, in his speech, said the celebration marked “a clear and concrete plan towards the change in Government”.
When interviewed later, Kamaruddin claimed that the new Government would be formed in the next few days.
(From left) Khalid, Dr Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Anwar, Kit Siang and Guan Eng. Asked why Anwar did not reveal the numbers or the names of the MPs, Kamaruddin replied that it was due to logistical reasons.
“Some of them are still overseas as you know. Some have been told to stay put in Macau,” he said.
He said Pakatan had obtained the MPs’ word to cross over via signed documents and in other various ways that satisfied the Pakatan leaders of their commitment.
Among the thousands who attended the rally were DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.
Kit Siang said that it “did not matter whether the change is 916 (Sept 16), 1016 (Oct 16), 1116 (Nov 16) or 1216 (Dec 16)”.
“What is important is for all of us to be united to make the change happen,” he said.
Guan Eng in his speech said he was impressed that for the first time, a Cabinet Minister (de facto law minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim) had resigned based on his principles.
“I am proud that for the first time a minister has resigned not because of health or scandal, but because of his principle and idealism in opposing the ISA.
“This has never happened in the history of Malaysia,” he said.
Guan Eng also called upon the other Cabinet ministers who opposed the ISA to not only “talk” but to follow in Zaid’s footsteps and resign.
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