Najib urged support for Anwar during BN MPs meet - sources

 

Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak had lobbied BN to support PKR president Anwar Ibrahim during the meeting between BN parliamentarians in Kuala Lumpur today, according to sources.

Several BN sources confirmed the matter with Malaysiakini.

This comes a day after the Yang di-Pertuan Agong warned MPs against political manoeuvres that could destabilise the government.

"This nonsensical proposal won't be accepted by the Umno grassroots, because Umno members were previously told that the party supported forming the Perikatan Nasional government because it did not want DAP in government," one source said when contacted.

The source claimed the BN meeting was almost put on hold after the former coalition chairperson made the proposal.

Astro Awani also cited sources as saying an "MP" had raised the matter of supporting Anwar at the BN meet.

One MP who spoke on condition of anonymity, however, downplayed it and said support for Anwar was only discussed "indirectly" by lawmakers at the meeting.

Earlier, Najib had told reporters after the BN meeting that no decisions were made, and that various opinions had been voiced during the meeting.

Najib, together with Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, were previously alleged to have sent a letter to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong supporting the PKR president.

However, Zahid's aides claimed the letter was false. Najib himself had not denied the matter.

Malaysiakini has reached out to both Najib and Anwar for comment.

'Most BN reps won't work with Anwar'

Anwar last month claimed to have enough support to form a government.

However, various Umno MPs have repeatedly rejected such cooperation, as long as Anwar's is allied to DAP.

This stance appears to have been the majority view taken today.

“(There were) all sorts of views. But the majority of them said 'no Anwar Ibrahim, no DAP',” said Padang Besar MP Zahidi Zainul Abidin.

DAP had also voiced dissatisfaction with PKR after the latter said last week it respected Umno's decision to support PN.

The Umno supreme council will meet tonight to decide on matters raised during the BN meeting earlier.

Support for Muhyiddin on the agenda

Among the matters to be discussed is whether to continue supporting Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

This is after the Muhyiddin cabinet's bid to declare a state of emergency was rejected by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

The declaration had been sought ostensibly to handle the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, critics have said this is to avoid the Perikatan Nasional government collapsing in Parliament next month - which could lead to snap elections.

The prime minister losing support could lead to a snap election if no other leader can prove they have the numbers to form a government.

Previously, BN secretary-general Annuar Musa had said that an emergency was necessary to avoid snap elections amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah has also been pushing for a vote of no confidence against Muhyiddin - though this is said to be unrelated to Anwar's bid to become prime minister. - Mkini