PKR sec-gen: Opposition had MPs to bring down PM in 2008

Saifuddin Nasution says letter signed by PKR, DAP and PAS leaders was handed to PM's office, calling for special Dewan Rakyat session, but there was no response.

KUALA LUMPUR: The now defunct Pakatan Rakyat (PR) “had the numbers” in 2008 to topple the government of then prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the High Court was told today.

Former Machang MP Saifuddin Nasution said the PR presidential council consisting of PKR, DAP and PAS leaders jointly signed a letter calling for Abdullah to hold a special Dewan Rakyat session.

“The letter was hand delivered to the PM’s private secretary Tajuddin Johar,” he said at the trial of Anwar Ibrahim’s RM100 million defamation suit against Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin.

He said the letter was sent to Abdullah as only the prime minister or the Yang di-Pertuan Agong could convene a meeting of Parliament.

Saifuddin, who is now PKR secretary-general, said Anwar, who was the opposition leader, had earlier convinced the council that he had the requisite number of MPs to initiate a vote of no confidence against the prime minister.

“In fact, Anwar briefed PAS leaders, including the late PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat and current president Abdul Hadi Awang, about the move,” he said when re-examined by lawyer R Sivarasa.

Saifuddin said he and his party colleague, Sungai Petani MP Johari Abdul, met Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia in Kota Kinabalu on the process to be adopted to bring the no-confidence vote.

He told the court that the opposition preferred to “test the floor” by voting in the Dewan Rakyat whether the prime minister enjoyed the confidence of the majority of the MPs.

“We were not inclined to use the palace unlike what Najib Razak did to bring down the 10-month PR government in Perak,” he said, referring to the takeover of the state government by Barisan Nasional in 2009.

Saifuddin said the special session did not take place because Abdullah did not reply to the letter.

He did not reveal in court the exact number of MPs the opposition had.

Cross-examined by lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, who is appearing for Khairy, Saifuddin said the letter did not provide the names or number of MPs who would support the motion of no confidence.

“They could have used all the instruments of the state to frustrate and neutralise our move,” he said of the Sept 16 plan.

Saifuddin also agreed with Shafee that the opposition’s image would have been dented if they failed to show the numbers if the motion had been allowed.

The opposition won 78 seats in the 12th general election, held on March 8, 2008, but were short of 44 seats to have a majority in the Dewan Rakyat.

Anwar, 69, filed the suit against Khairy following the latter’s “main belakang” remark in a political ceramah at Lembah Pantai in 2008.

Anwar argues that the phrase meant that he is a homosexual, had low morals, had the capability of committing crime and vice.

The PKR de facto leader filed the suit after reading what was reported in Malaysiakini and after watching a video published by the news portal.

Hearing before justice Azizul Azmi Adnan was adjourned to Friday. -FMT