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Anwar Making Another Run At Prime Minister? Does It Even Matter? [OPINION]

Anwar Making Another Run At Prime Minister? Does It Even Matter? [OPINION]

Will this 73-year-old replace the current 73-year-old Prime Minister?

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UPDATE: PKR Communications director Fahmi Fadzil has denied reports that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has the support of UMNO MPs, labelling the articles as a ‘fishing expedition” to obtain denials.


During this mid-December weekend it was reported that Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is again seeking an audience with the Yang diPertuan Agong to prove he has the numbers needed to supplant Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as Malaysian Prime Minister.

If you’ll remember, Anwar announced he had a “strong, convincing and formidable majority” back in September, met the Agong in October and then according to a statement from the Palace declined to name the MPs who supported him.

This time reports are clearly saying he has the support of 10 UMNO MPs, including former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and UMNO president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

From Left: UMNO president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
(Pic Credit: Ahmad Zamzahuri/Malay Mail)

In total, Anwar is said to have 113 statutory declarations from MPs, one above the bare minimum needed to be Prime Minister since Parliament has 222 seats, meaning it would take just two MPs to overthrow the government.

That would, of course, include Najib and Ahmad Zahid, who are among quite a few MPs with ongoing court cases or who are currently under investigation for corruption and/or money laundering.

Even Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa has said there are some UMNO members conspiring to overturn the party’s ‘No Anwar, No DAP’ policy.

If these reports are accurate, then Malaysia will replace one 73-year-old Malay Prime Minister who is an ex-UMNO leader and former Deputy Prime Minister and who became Prime Minister without a general election, with another 73-year-old Malay Prime Minister who is an ex-UMNO leader and former Deputy Prime Minister, again without a general election.

Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin
(Pic Credit: Hari Anggara and Yusof Mat Isa/Malay Mail)

And still Najib and Ahmad Zahid will have the bargaining power to overthrow the government.

There have been some new developments though.

Otai Reformis, a pro-Anwar group, recently advised their champion to stop trying to get MPs to crossover, burn his statutory declarations and focus instead on winning the next general election by joining forces with all opposition parties.

This came about based on the ongoing Budget debates, starting at the policy level vote when Anwar ordered the MPs not to stand to support bloc voting and said they would foil the Budget at the committee stage.

Back then, reports by Malay Mail and Malaysiakini quoted MPs as saying that Anwar would resign as Opposition Leader if this did not happen within 7 days, but Anwar then told the Vibes that such claims “should be dismissed”.

Since then, the budget for every Ministry so far has been passed. While some argued that the budgets passed with narrow margins, they still passed because it’s not enough that the one side must lose, the other must actually win.

It was also reported this week that 63-year-old Parti Warisan Sabah president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal has urged the Opposition to make way for younger leadership.

Parti Warisan Sabah president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.
(Pic Credit: Yusof Mat Isa/Malay Mail)

Anyway, whether Anwar accepts the recommendation of Otai Reformis or directly addresses the claims that he would step down as Opposition leader, or makes way for fresh leadership in the Opposition, one thing is for certain:

This is the most embarrassing and disappointing year in Malaysian politics and I really hope 2021 is better because I can’t imagine how it could be worse.


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