Malaysia’s Pakatan political coalition to reconvene later this week over leadership issue
Sources within Pakatan said that the apparent impasse between Dr Mahathir and Anwar happened due to what is believed to be a communication breakdown between the two. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon. Sketched by the Pan Pacific Agency.
KUALA LUMPUR, Jun 18, 2020, Malay Mail. Pakatan Harapan (PH) will set another deadline this week to resolve the leadership deadlock that has stunted discussions among the Opposition parties, Malay Mail reported.
A source from PKR confirmed that an emergency meeting of the Central Leadership Council (MPP) will be held tomorrow to deliberate cooperation between its president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad — with the results brought before the PH presidential council which will be convened afterwards.
“Yes, there is a call for the meeting and the result will be taken to the PH council meeting. The decision will be known this week,” said the source.
Earlier today, Malaysiakini reported that the PKR MPP will mobilise an online emergency MPP meeting via Zoom which will discuss the PH prime minister candidate choice.
This comes after organising secretary Anthony Loke, in an interview with Malaysiakini, revealed an impasse in Pakatan Plus over the coalition’s candidate for prime minister with PKR failing to make a decision as of June 16.
DAP is supporting Dr Mahathir’s bid to be prime minister again should Pakatan Plus manage to wrest back Putrajaya. This comes after it failed to convince component Warisan to nominate an Anwar Ibrahim-Mukhriz Mahathir combination for the two top positions.
Several Anwar supporters including Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad and Perak PKR chief Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak had also stated last night that it is unfair for Anwar to accept a position under Dr Mahathir as the Opposition chief is the best candidate for the post.
Prior to that, PH supporters had since Monday used the hashtag #DemiMalaysiA on social media, pleading for cooperation between the two leaders in order to defeat the Perikatan Nasional government.
The campaign is a desperate attempt to appeal to both Dr Mahathir and Anwar to reconcile, as the pact faces a deadlock and the reality is it has a slim chance of regaining Putrajaya without both parties’ cooperation.
Malay Mail previously reported that several sources within the pact said that the apparent impasse between Dr Mahathir and Anwar happened due to what is believed to be a communication breakdown between the two.
Several sources have suggested that Anwar is currently seeking support to be a prime minister candidate from East Malaysian politicians on his own.
One source also told Malay Mail that Anwar spoke to Sarawak party leaders on Tuesday, and is even seeking an audience with some Malay Rulers in order to legitimise himself as the candidate.
Amid the internal tension, PH also faces the possibility of Anwar taking the 38 MPs in PKR completely out of the PH pact, that was formed after the dissolution of Pakatan Rakyat with PAS in 2015.
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