Anwar wants PKR and allies to toe the line on Harapan transition decision

PKR president Anwar Ibrahim wants his party and Pakatan Harapan allies to toe the line on the coalition decision to let Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad decide on the transition of power after the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Summit in November.

"PKR must respect and abide by the decision and the same applies to our partners. I can instruct my party but for the others, I can urge them to respect the decision because the focus is now on the economy which is being somewhat impacted by the coronavirus (outbreak).

"That was why we made the decision yesterday. So I appeal to our friends to respect this decision. In terms of the PKR leadership, I will not allow anyone to attack or condemn the decision.

"But for the rest out there, it is beyond my ambit," he told journalists in Bangi this afternoon.

Anwar's comment came amid plans by some PKR grassroots to organise a street protest after the Harapan coalition failed to come up with a definitive date for Mahathir to hand over power to Anwar.

Anwar also said he had expected PKR to act as one voice during the meeting last night but that did not happen.

"It doesn't seem to work that way but finally the consensus is agreed upon," he said.

Sources told Malaysiakini that Anwar's rival and PKR deputy Mohamed Azmin Ali had proposed that Mahathir stay on for a full term as prime minister.

However, the final consensus was for Mahathir to decide when the transition should take place after Apec.

On reports about some 3,000 PKR members in Tanjung Manis, Sarawak allegedly quitting the party as they, among others, did not want Anwar as the next prime minister, the PKR president said, to begin with, there weren't even 3,000 members in Tanjung Manis.

"I would challenge that number but, to me, it doesn't matter because you see a small desperate faction within PKR trying to do this.

"Let the leaders instigating them to speak up and don't use minions," he said.

Mahathir had said he needed two to three years as prime minister. Amid calls for a clearer timeline, Mahathir said he plans to hand over power after the Apec Summit but has not given an exact indication.

In the last general election, Harapan agreed to appoint Mahathir as its leader on condition that he eventually hands over the reins to Anwar who was at the time in prison. - Mkini