Pakatan Harapan (PH) sought to rally all its MPs, assemblymen, and leaders during the close-door “Pertahan Mandat Rakyat 2020” (Uphold People’s Mandate) event last night in an attempt to prevent more from defecting to Perikatan Nasional.
PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, his Amanah counterpart Mohamad Sabu and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng warned everyone to stop any more party members, especially those who have position in the state government, from supporting the new coalition helmed by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
“There’s a lot of information being passed down to the party members, chiefly to make sure no one else jumps to the other side like what happens today,” an attendee who did not want to be named was quoted as saying.
“Abang Mat (Mohamad Sabu), (Lim) Guan Eng and Anwar are very upset when more of the party members who just a week ago on our side have gone,” the source said, referring to Perak state government when state assemblyman from both Amanah and DAP quit to pledge support to the PN administration.
Another attendee said the leaders are confident that they could still bring the numbers to challenge Muhyiddin’s majority in the parliament come May 18 when the Dewan Rakyat convenes.
“Other leaders also talked about what we should do in the next two months, before May 18.
“We would continue to work as a team to ensure the party remains intact and strong. We will also give information to the voters inside our respective parliament in order to ensure the message remains true and not corrupted by the ‘traitors’ team,” said the source.
Speaking to reporters afterwards, PKR strategic communications director Fahmi Fadzil said he cannot divulge information regarding what was said as it was confidential.
However, he said PH would announce their future plans for roadshow programmes to inform the people about PH.
“We will not abandon our principles. It took us 20 years to get to this point.
“Pakatan will have a lot of ‘jelajah’ throughout the country. We will inform through our communications channel,” he said.
Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was absent from the gathering last night, despite having been slated to be the main speaker at the event.
However, PKR secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail was quick to reassure reporters present, saying that Dr Mahathir was unable to attend the gathering at the Sime Darby Convention Centre as he had just returned from his parliamentary constituency of Langkawi.
The unexpected twists and turns throughout the recent political crisis, which culminated in Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s unexpected appointment as the 8th Prime Minister, has triggered rumours that the relationship between Dr Mahathir and Anwar has turned sour.
Despite this, Saifuddin maintained that the PH coalition is still intact.
“Things are as usual. In fact, even (on Tuesday) I will be seeing Dr Mahathir for a meeting.
“Some of the Bersatu members, especially the grassroots from Perlis and Sabah, are here with us tonight. We are still intact,” he said, downplaying talk of party rifts.
It has been reported that Dr Mahathir has blamed Anwar for his not being appointed the 8th Prime Minister.
Anwar, in response, has questioned why he is being blamed, after having waited patiently for Dr Maharhir to honour his promise in 2018 to make him the new Prime Minister.