Anwar explains why he was absent from presser with Dr M

PKR president Anwar Ibrahim explained why he was the only top gun to be absent from a press conference with former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad which was attended by top leaders from Amanah, DAP and Warisan.

"The answer is simple - It wasn't a Pakatan Harapan press conference," he said in a live session on Facebook today.

Anwar said the Harapan leaders had already agreed in an earlier meeting that they will issue a joint-statement with Bersatu and Warisan.

"Therefore, we did not hold a Harapan press conference.

"However, that does not stop DAP, Bersatu, Amanah or PKR from holding their own press conference or for MPs to air their views.

"So, I would like to clarify that it was not a Harapan press conference. But we are democratic about airing views," he said.

Amanah president Mohamad Sabu, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, Warisan president Shafie Apdal and Bersatu deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir were present at the press conference in Putrajaya after the conclusion of the one-day Parliament sitting on Monday.

The absence of Anwar or any other PKR representative had sparked speculation on whether the party was keen about continued cooperation with Mahathir.

Mahathir, whose position as Bersatu chairperson is in dispute, took the lead during the press conference.

The former premier is engaged in a power struggle with his successor and Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin for control of the party.

Muhyiddin had pulled Bersatu out of Harapan to form the new Perikatan Nasional government with PKR defectors, BN, PAS, GPS, PBS and Star while Mahathir wants Bersatu back in Harapan.

Following Bersatu's exit, Mahathir could no longer hold the position of Harapan chairperson, and Anwar has since been appointed as the new chair.

Some PKR leaders have expressed reluctance over the continued cooperation with Mahathir as they blame Bersatu for the collapse of the Harapan government.

Amanah and DAP, on the other hand, have been more receptive.

Anwar has also indicated a willingness to work with Mahathir, but PKR appears to want the cooperation to be on its terms. - Mkini