New government: Azmin provides a glimpse of his strategy

Gombak MP Azmin Ali held his cards close to his chest during a meeting with supporters last night, but he did give a glimpse of his strategy in the impending formation of a new coalition to oust the current Pakatan Harapan government.

The economic affairs minister briefed his supporters at Sheraton Hotel in Petaling Jaya, after meeting with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong together with BN, Bersatu, PAS, GPS and Warisan leaders.

During the briefing, Azmin railed against PKR president Anwar Ibrahim for purportedly persecuting his supporters.

Azmin added that he would have quit PKR if it was not for his supporters and that he had secured "agreements" to involve them in the new government.

"I had told (Bersatu president) Muhyiddin Yassin that if it was only about myself and Zuraida Kamaruddin, I would have long quit PKR.

"But I and the non-Malay leaders (who are aligned to Azmin in PKR), we work as a team and they are credible leaders.

"I have to make sure they have a role to play in the new coalition and, Alhamdulillah, we managed to secure many agreements and they will be announced in the near future," he said.

Azmin urged his supporters to be patient, adding that they have also been tight-lipped with the press.

"We will keep this strategy for the next 48 hours and with the consent of Tuanku, God willing, a new and stronger government will be created," he said.

Azmin said prior to the events of yesterday, he and other MPs had met on Feb 22 until the wee hours of Feb 23 to strategise before things were set in motion.

There were four separate meetings yesterday - Azmin's faction at Sheraton Hotel, Petaling Jaya, Bersatu leaders at their Petaling Jaya headquarters, GPS and Warisan at Ritz Carlton Hotel in Kuala Lumpur and PAS and Umno at a retreat in Janda Baik, Pahang.

Subsequently, the leaders of the respective parties met with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong that evening but the announcement of a new coalition was delayed as the ruler needed more time to look into the matter.

Azmin said he would be meeting with all MPs in the next 24 hours on the next step and expressed confidence that it won't take long before the Agong agrees to the formation of the new government.

"In the next few days, we will hear the announcement and as soon the announcement is made, we will emerge with Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and all MPs to prove that we have comfortable numbers to form a new government," he said.

He added that the Agong has been informed that the new government and new cabinet intend to proceed with the Parliament sitting scheduled for March 9.

'Not a backdoor government'

Azmin also insisted that the impending new government is not a backdoor government as it complies with the Federal Constitution.

Instead, he said, past efforts by Anwar (below) to secure defections, such as in 2008, was the one that should be considered a backdoor government.

"If he (Anwar) has large numbers (of MPs) - how many years have we heard that story? Since September 16. What year was that? 2008.

"At that time, I was also responsible for the negotiations bringing (MPs) to run to Taiwan and Korea, now that is backdoor. We are not going through the backdoor. We don't like backdoors.

"This (new coalition) follows the Federal Constitution. What does it say? We do not need to go to Parliament. The Federal Constitution says anyone who gets majority support from the MPs is appointed prime minister by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. So we are following that," he said.

Azmin also slammed Anwar, without naming him, stating that PKR did not belong to the Anwar's family.

"This party was not built by his family. He was inside (prison). We were the ones that were beaten, we were the ones that were insulted.

"I know how he was treated when he was inside (prison). I did not talk about it last time but starting tomorrow, I will.

"If you want to hear the stories, make a nationwide "AA roadshow" and I will expose it," Azmin said to his cheering supporters. - Mkini