Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg snubbed Anwar Ibrahim when the PKR president was in Kuching on Tuesday hoping to rally support to become the ninth prime minister, said sources.
The sources from the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and state PKR told The Malaysian Insight that Anwar took a chartered flight to meet Abang Johari, but the latter refused to make time for him.
The reason for the snub is not clear, but a PKR source said it has to do with the position that GPS previously took on whom to align with.
“Why Anwar bothered to come, I don’t know. We all know what GPS’ terms and conditions are (on whom to align with), and there is no way Anwar can get GPS to support him.
“For a start, GPS has two non-negotiable conditions – no DAP, no Anwar as prime minister.
“Last throw of the dice? Maybe.”
Abang Johari, explaining why GPS supported Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister in late February to break the country’s political impasse, had said the coalition would not back a federal government with DAP as a member.
“We cannot work with DAP,” he has said on several occasions.
GPS is not only irked by accusations of misrule by DAP, but also does not trust a party looking to topple it in the next state elections.
However, Abang Johari has never publicly said why the coalition does not support Anwar as prime minister.
Anwar’s experience in Kuching matches claims by DAP and Amanah leaders that he failed to get GPS’ backing for the top job.
If he had been successful, he would have added the four-party coalition’s 17 MPs to the 96 in his pocket, securing for himself the prime minister’s position.
A minimum 112 of the 222 seats in Parliament is needed to form the federal government.
GPS comprises Abang Johari’s Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu, Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), Sarawak United People’s Party and Progressive Democratic Party.
Anwar’s 5pm arrival at Kuching airport earlier this week might have been witnessed by Deputy Chief Minister Douglas Uggah Embas, said another source.
The Port Dickson MP’s jet landed after the helicopter carrying Uggah and his entourage arrived. Uggah had just returned from a flood inspection in his constituency in Betong.
The sources said Anwar’s Sarawak trip was a hushed affair, with no PKR leaders aware of it.
“I think even Larry didn’t know,” said one source, referring to state PKR chairman Larry Sng.
Asked for confirmation on the visit, state PKR information chief Abun Sui said he had no idea.
Even Deputy Chief Minister and PRS president James Masing said he has no knowledge of the matter.
Anwar’s trip came as Pakatan Harapan readies itself for another tilt at power through either a “counter-coup” or snap polls.
PKR is tussling with its PH allies, namely DAP and Amanah, which want Dr Mahathir Mohamad as the pact’s prime minister candidate in fresh elections or if it has the numbers to replace the Perikatan Nasional administration.
Anwar’s party has said it will reject any proposal to nominate Dr Mahathir for the position.
“We remain with the consensus that PH nominates Anwar as prime minister,” said the PKR central leadership committee after a meeting on Friday.
However, the party, in a statement issued after a special online meeting with its MPs, said it is open to discussions with all quarters, including Dr Mahathir, on how to save the country. – TMI