NEW measures to tackle the Covid-19 epidemic and prioritising the welfare of the people were among the main issues discussed during the Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders’ meeting with Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob this afternoon, Anwar Ibrahim said.

“It was a good start for us to discuss better measures to handle Covid-19 and help the B40 who have lost their jobs,” the opposition leader told reporters after the meeting.

“This is one of the most important points that we got across.”

Also present at the meeting, which lasted an hour, were DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu.

Anwar said Lim had also spoken to Ismail about providing the people with an interest-free loan moratorium while Mohamad pointed out that new measures were needed to combat Covid-19 as the old ones have failed.

The PKR president said he also thanked Ismail for inviting PKR and DAP to the table to have this discussion,” he said.

“I joked with him that the whole ‘No DAP’ thing seems to be changing, and he said it was because the king had advised all parties to work together.”

Anwar said he also assured Ismail that if the opposition’s suggestions were considered, they will not have any problem with the current leadership and the political situation will be more stable.

“We told him that if these suggestions are accepted and the programme that he will implement is for the benefit of the people, we will not complicate matters when a vote of confidence is called in Parliament,” he said.

The Port Dickson MP said the offer for opposition members to sit in the National Security Council was not discussed.

“From the start, we have made it clear that we did not come to ask for positions for ourselves. Our issues are specific to the welfare of the people and the economy,” he said.

Anwar said an offer for him as the opposition leader to be in the cabinet was not brought up.

“The issue of giving the opposition leader a post in the cabinet was also not brought up, and I’m not interested. I don’t want this to become an issue,” he added.

Anwar said there will be follow-up meetings at the committee level, which will be chaired by PH representatives, to discuss what can be agreed on and the steps that can be taken so that the prime minister’s position and the country’s political situation remain calm. – August 25, 2021.