Anwar briefs Harapan on Umno meet, no GE15 commitments made

 

Pakatan Harapan chief Anwar Ibrahim briefed component parties this afternoon about his recent meeting with Umno figures.

The matter was then discussed but no commitments were made as to whether the opposition coalition will work with Umno in the 15th general election.

Doorstepped by the media after the meeting, Amanah deputy president Salahuddin Ayub appeared satisfied with the briefing.

“We are now clear that the meeting was a normal meeting.

“But there was no commitment to be together (with Umno) for the general election, none,” he said when asked if the matter was raised.

Pressed on how Harapan partners responded to the possibility of working with the BN lynchpin party, Salahuddin sidestepped the question and reiterated that there was no agreement to work with Umno.

“We can meet, we can discuss but as for a decision about elections, we have never finalised anything,” he answered.

He later clarified with Malaysiakini that Anwar had briefed Amanah, DAP and PKR leaders about what had transpired in his meetings.

“They did meet, have coffee and discuss but no agreement, commitment or policies were made. None at all...

“That’s what he mentioned. That was all that was told to us in the briefing earlier,” he said.

Anwar previously did not rule out the possibility of working with Umno.

However, Salahuddin was among the opposition politicians who voiced their objection against cooperating with “kleptocrats”.

This was in reference to Umno leaders with pending court cases. Among the Umno leaders facing criminal trials are party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, secretary-general Ahmad Maslan, Pekan MP Najib Abdul Razak and Baling MP Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim.

Chong is Harapan Women chief

DAP Wanita head Chong Eng

Meanwhile, Harapan issued a statement afterwards announcing DAP politician Chong Eng as the coalition’s women’s chief.

She is also DAP Wanita chief, Padang Lalang assemblyperson and the Penang executive councillor for social development and non-Islamic affairs.

The coalition also said that it will be attending next Monday’s (March 22) Covid-19 vaccine briefing by Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

It further disclosed that it will hold a “closed-door” meeting with “representatives from foreign embassies” on March 24 but did not offer more details. - Mkini