Efforts being made to turn Harapan MPs - Anwar

There are efforts to convince Pakatan Harapan MPs to switch sides, PKR president Anwar Ibrahim claimed today.

This is amid Harapan's claims that Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin does not command a majority in the Dewan Rakyat and its intention to test his support through a no-confidence vote.

The new government has postponed the Dewan Rakyat sitting scheduled for tomorrow to May 18.

"This (political crisis) is part of the hurdles that we face in our struggle. Those who had gone to the other side are also wavering, they are not that strong.

"Their job is to convince (people on our side) one by one," he told a gathering of Reformasi activists at his Bukit Segambut residence this evening.

Anwar joked that he was the only one who had not been approached and felt slighted.

"But whoever does try to convince me, I'll hit them," he quipped.

Anwar was commenting on the political turmoil triggered by the Sheraton Move, a series of political manoeuvring that brought down the Harapan government.

Muhyiddin took Bersatu out of Harapan, and together with rogue PKR MPs, BN, PAS and GPS, formed a new coalition to take control of the government.

Muhyiddin was on March 1 sworn in as the new prime minister.

The rogue PKR MPs, led by former deputy president Azmin Ali, have since joined Bersatu.

Anwar said the defections have shown that those who had been fending off the "kartel" faction were in the right. "Kartel" is considered a derogatory label used against Azmin's faction.

"We know that this is not new, for years our party had been somewhat unsettled by such efforts.

"Many were not convinced at the time but it has now been proven that the ones we fought against, including 'kartel', are those who have betrayed at the people's mandate given in the last general election," he said.

However, Anwar said PKR is unfazed and will continue with its struggle. - Mkini