Opposition parties gang up on PKR, refuse to work with 'kleptocrats'
Representatives of five opposition parties have urged PKR president Anwar Ibrahim to unite the opposition and reject any cooperation with "kleptocrats".
This move casts further doubts on Anwar's claim of having "adequate" numbers to topple Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
In a statement today, the five representatives said the Perikatan Nasional government has failed to solve the economic...
• UPDATED 8.10PM | Additional comments from Salahuddin Ayub and Razlan Rafii.
Representatives of five opposition parties have urged PKR president Anwar Ibrahim to unite the opposition and reject any cooperation with "kleptocrats".
This move casts further doubts on Anwar's claim of having "adequate" numbers to topple Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
In a statement today, the five representatives said the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government has failed to solve the economic, health and political crisis, hence the opposition must work together on better initiatives and policies.
"In view of these challenges, we urge the opposition leader to unite the opposition bloc and reject any cooperation with kleptocrats.
"Any cooperation must be based on these principles. We need to work together and focus our efforts on the people's agenda," said the group.
The joint statement was signed by Salahuddin Ayub (Pulai MP, Amanah deputy president), Mohd Azis Jamman (Sepanggar MP, Warisan Youth chief), Liew Chin Tong (Senator, DAP central committee member), Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (Muar MP, Malaysian United Democratic Alliance pro tem leader) and Baru Bian (Selangau MP, Parti Sarawak Bersatu member).
When contacted, Salahuddin clarified that the group was referring only to Umno leaders who have cases pending in court and are still open to discussion with other Umno leaders.
“The meaning of rejecting cooperation with ‘kleptocrats’ only refers to the ‘court cluster’. We still have good relations with other Umno leaders,” he told Malaysiakini.
Among the Umno leaders who have criminal matters pending in court include Bagan Datuk MP and Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Pekan MP Najib Abdul Razak, Pontian MP Ahmad Maslan, and Baling MP Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim.
Meanwhile, in immediate response to the group’s statement, Umno supreme council member Razlan Rafii reminded that DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng is also facing trial in court over alleged corruption in the Penang undersea tunnel project.
“So, stop spreading lies and pit Umno (leaders) against one another, who are already clean with the defection of four MPs.
“Ideally, Salahuddin should look after their own MPs and assemblypersons who are not just enthusiastically (party) hopping from Pakatan Harapan, but there is even an Amanah assemblyperson who hopped over to PKR,” he said.
Yesterday, Anwar confirmed informal discussions had been held between PKR and Umno figures on a possible collaboration.
However, Anwar said it would be premature to conclude that an agreement had been made.
"I was then asked (in an interview published on Sunday) if I denied the possibility of a cooperation with Umno, so I said: I don't deny the possibility," said the Port Dickson MP.
Pakatan Harapan collaborating with Umno would not be a unique move. Harapan lawmakers and Umno had joined forces in December to oust Bersatu deputy president Ahmad Faizal Azumu as Perak menteri besar.
Additional reporting by B NANTHA KUMAR.
