Something dubious about Anwar's announcement - Analyst

PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s claim that he had garnered strong majority support to form a new federal government is seen by some as something dubious, especially looking at the political scenario of the country for the past three months.

The announcement was also made when there are only three days left before the Sabah polls this Saturday and this has led to views that it is Anwar's political strategy to ensure the victory of PKR and its allies in the state election.

Political analyst Mohd Roslan Mohd Saludin opined that it was untimely for Anwar to make such an announcement.

"What I see in the claim made by Anwar today is more towards garnering the support of Sabah voters. It can leave the Sabah voters in a dilemma," he told Bernama.

Earlier yesterday, Anwar told a press conference that he had garnered “formidable and convincing” support from among MPs to form a new federal government to replace the ruling PN-led government and that the government of Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had fallen.

Anwar said he had received consent to have an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah on Tuesday, but the audience was postponed after His Majesty was admitted to IJN for treatment.

Mohd Roslan said if Anwar's claim was true, the people can expect to witness the same process after Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad resigned on Feb 24 which led to the appointment of Muhyiddin as the eighth Prime Minister.

“It will not be as easy as expected because it is going to be a long process.

"Although Anwar claims to have majority support, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong also has the discretionary power and this process will take time," he said.

Meanwhile, Universiti Putra Malaysia Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication senior lecturer Dr Syed Agil Syed Alsagoff said the action could be seen as a bad political move as the country is still facing the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis.

He said if what Anwar announced was consented by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, then there could be a change of government in the near future.

"If Anwar's claim is true, it would be better to hold the next general election and to allow the people to choose a new government to maintain sustainability, prosperity and political harmony in this country," he said.

-- BERNAMA