Mahathir, Anwar discuss political problems in second meeting

© Provided by MToday News Sdn BhdMahathir-AnwarKUALA LUMPUR: Dr Mahathir Mohamad today had a 40-minute meeting with his one-time nemesis, Anwar Ibrahim, at the High Court premises here, the second since last September.

The former prime minister said they discussed political problems facing the nation.

“We also talked and agreed about other principal issues, including the present leadership of the county,” he told reporters.

Dr Mahathir, who is Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) chairman, said his party would continue to strengthen the coalition with Pakatan Harapan (PH).

“We are still talking to PAS but in the meantime we want to solidify the coalition,” he said.

Last December, PPBM signed an agreement with PH, which consists of PKR, DAP and Amanah, on an electoral pact and forming the next federal government should they win.

PPBM also had talks with the PAS leadership last month with the intention of engaging the Barisan Nasional (BN) in one-to-one fights in the 14th general election.

However, PAS wants PPBM to abandon PH and join a third bloc led by the Islamist party.

Dr Mahathir, speaking at the DAP organised Save Malaysia initiative on Tuesday, said PAS had got its political arithmetic wrong and the opposition would lose to the BN in three-cornered fights.

He said PPBM and PAS would still have to fight BN and PH (PKR, DAP and Amanah) if PPBM were to join PAS’s grouping.

Dr Mahathir arrived at 11.50am today as Anwar’s defamation suit against Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin was proceeding.

Earlier in the morning, PPBM president Muhyiddin Yassin met Anwar briefly before the proceedings started.

Accompanying him was former Umno leader Khairuddin Abu Hassan

Dr Mahathir last met Anwar on Sept 5.

The 91-year-old then said he had come to support Anwar’s legal challenge against the government over the National Security Council Act (NSC).

Anwar, who was Mahathir’s deputy and heir apparent to succeed him as prime minister, was unceremoniously removed from the government and as Umno deputy president in 1998 for alleged abuse of power.

Many of Anwar’s supporters blame Mahathir for being behind the incarceration of Anwar after their fallout.

Exactly two years ago, the Federal Court sentenced Anwar to five year’s jail for sodomising his former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, in 2008, in a second sodomy case against him.

He is currently serving his sentence in Sungai Buloh prison.