Anwar: Pakatan not seeking two-thirds majority

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said today the opposition coalition has no intention to seek a two-thirds majority of seats in Parliament.

He added that so long as Pakatan Rakyat wins a simple majority in the upcoming general elections, it shall begin work on restoring the country's ailing institutions.

"Who said we want two-thirds majority? Pakatan only wants to win. If we can achieve this... the most important thing will be to improve our institutions, including the judiciary, the police and the civil service," he said during a youth dialogue in Kuala Lumpur.

His comments were in contrast to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s who last month promised to give the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission more independence if the rakyat gives BN a two-thirds majority.

This strong majority, Najib had argued, is necessary for constitutional amendments to allow the formation of an Anti-Corruption Service Commission that can appoint or sack MACC staff.

'Free education for all'

Anwar also argued that a Pakatan government in Putrajaya will ensure free education up to university level and this will abolish the need for PTPTN (higher education loans).

"The rich are paying more taxes... still, there may be some form of exemption for them, but the essence would be free education and the abolition of PTPTN," he said.

Asked why he had not abolished the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA) when he was education minister, Anwar conceded that it was difficult to go against his boss, then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

"The law was made by my boss... but I did propose a draft Education Act that would include the universities that would render the UUCA irrelevant, but it did not go forward under subsequent education ministers," he said.

One of the dialogue participant had bluntly but jovially asked who would replace Anwar should he pass away.

"I have not even started yet, and you want to replace me," quipped Anwar.

However, he explained that this issue would be left to the democratic process, which in the context of PKR, his successor will be drawn from the party's present leaders.