Don't question my good ties with Dr Mahathir, says Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR — Long-time Malaysian opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has urged the public not to question his newfound goodwill with Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“Why are you jealous because we are okay? We are good to those who are good to us but if you oppress people and steal their money through 1Malaysia Development Bhd we definitely will not be good to you,” he said on Wednesday (May 16).

In his first speech since being granted a royal pardon earlier in the day, at a gathering to celebrate Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) victory in the 14th general election, Dr Anwar — the de facto leader of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) — said he would not have supported Dr Mahathir if he was not sure that the PH chairman would reform the country.

“We need to deliver a message that Pakatan Harapan is a strong coalition that cannot be shaken. That doesn’t mean we are not open. (But) our support has to be all rounded and solidly united behind Tun Dr Mahathir.

“Don’t entertain the whispers of devils who want to make us fight or split up,” he added.

It was believed that Dr Anwar was referring to PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli and its Subang Jaya member of parliament Wong Chen having taken issue with Dr Mahathir’s three-man Cabinet line-up announcement that they claimed was done without the party’s consultation.

However, Dr Anwar had put paid to any dissent when he announced from the Cheras Rehabilitation Hospital that the party was strongly behind Dr Mahathir.

Dr Anwar also stressed that the people have made their choice and Dr Mahathir and his ministers must be given the space to administer the country.

He also assured Malays and bumiputeras that their rights under the new government would not be sidelined, while stressing to all not to be taken with the false propaganda about the Democratic Alliance Party, which is also part of PH.

“Felda and Universiti Teknologi Mara will not be threatened but kangkung professors can’t (be accepted),” Dr Anwar said.

Meanwhile, he said that among the world leaders he planned to meet was Turkish president Recep Tayyip Edrogan.

At the rally, he said he also planned to visit Permatang Pauh, a ward in Penang he was a former member of parliament of.

Also present at the gathering was PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail; Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yasin and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng. NEW STRAITS TIMES