Anwar loyalists see silver lining after week-long crisis

Otai Reformis had threatened to take to the streets if Anwar Ibrahim was not installed as prime minister.

KUALA LUMPUR: Otai Reformis, the vocal group of Anwar Ibrahim loyalists who had been pressuring for the PKR leader to take over the prime minister’s post says it is happy that Dr Mahathir Mohamad is no longer in power.

Its spokesman Abdul Razak Ismail said they were “satisfied” with the outcome of the week-long political crisis, which saw the Pakatan Harapan bloc failing to convince the Agong of its support.

Razak said the group was also happy that Mohamed Azmin Ali and Zuraida Kamaruddin were purged from PKR.

“Our objective has actually been met, first Dr Mahathir was brought down in a humiliating manner.

“Second, Azmin and Zuraida were sacked,” he told FMT.

But Razak said the group still opposed the “backdoor government” led by Muhyiddin Yassin, who was sworn in as the eighth prime minister yesterday after his nomination was backed by Barisan Nasional, PAS, GPS and several MPs from PPBM and PKR.

Otai Reformis, which earlier threatened to hold street rallies if Anwar was not named the prime minister by May this year, said the plan would go ahead.

“I expect 1998-era street demonstrations again,” he said, referring to rallies in support of Anwar after his dramatic sacking by Mahathir two decades ago.

“It’s up to the Pakatan Harapan Presidential Council to nominate the next PM but Otai will reserve our support if Mahathir is renominated,” Razak added.

Under an agreement struck by PH, Mahathir was to hand over power to Anwar at an unspecified time.

But Mahathir’s resignation on Feb 24 caused the collapse of the PH coalition government. - FMT