Anwar should not be Pakatan’s sole PM candidate, says DAP’s Loke

Chan Kok Leong Chan Kok Leong Updated 2 years ago · Published on 27 Nov 2021 7:00AM · 5 Comments

Anthony Loke says Pakatan Harapan should talk more about its reform agenda and not just that Anwar Ibrahim should be prime minister. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, November 27, 2021.

PAKATAN Harapan (PH) must stop insisting that Anwar Ibrahim is its sole candidate for the post of prime minister after the losses suffered at last Saturday’s Malacca elections, Anthony Loke said.

Loke, who is DAP’s national organising secretary, told The Malaysian Insight that the coalition should instead talk more about the reform agenda and not just that Anwar should be prime minister.

“We should be open to new alliances, as long as the party is willing to support the reform agenda,” he said, adding it is time for PH to review its position on Anwar, who is opposition leader and PKR president.

PH comprises PKR, DAP, Amanah and Upko.

At the Malacca elections, PH contested in all 28 seats but only won five. PKR lost all 11 seats it contested while DAP won four and Amanah took one.

Barisan Nasional (BN) secured 21 seats (75%) while Perikatan Nasional took the remaining two seats.

It is time for PH to review its position on Anwar Ibrahim as its sole candidate for the post of prime minister, says Anthony Loke. –  The Malaysian Insight file pic, November 27, 2021.

“We must stop saying that there is no one else besides Anwar or we will be stuck in a dead end. PH needs to change its strategy,” said Loke.

The former transport minister had initially said this during a forum with Wong Chin Huat and James Chin on Thursday.

Loke, however, said this was his personal opinion and not DAP’s official stand.

“As such, this is something that Anwar must choose to do himself. And I think he should be given time to consider his next step,” said Loke, who is also Seremban MP.

On Monday, Pahang DAP secretary Lee Chin Chen similarly asked PH to look for a new prime minister candidate and not depend solely on Anwar.

Meanwhile, two other DAP leaders told The Malaysian Insight that the party has not discussed the matter.

“But this is something that both BN and PH are facing,” said one of the leaders who is MP.

“This is because many supporters have told us that they want younger leaders as they are tired of the old guard. They want younger people as national leaders.”

The DAP leader also confirmed that the party has not discussed the issue of replacing Anwar as the coalition’s prime minister candidate.

“But we are open to this. PH must explore other possibilities,” he said. – November 27, 2021.

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Comments

  • Anwar is a liability to DAP and PH. A new PM candidate should be considered.

    Posted 2 years ago by Elyse Gim · Reply

  • Anwar will be 78 by next GE. There is a huge gulf between his ideas and the aspirations todays generation. Its time for a new younger PM candidate that can connect with todays people

    Posted 2 years ago by Michael Raj · Reply

  • Good. At least someone has spoken up. Like in any large corporate organization, it is only expected for the leader to step aside for lack of performance and bring in a new leader. Only then will PH be taken seriously.

    Posted 2 years ago by Bartok D · Reply

  • We concur with you on this, Loke. The country is more important than just one man. Besides, he was given opportunities but he failed miserably. Remember how he kept pacifying Mahathir by sayng " dont rush him" but in the end, Mahathir played him out? Trying to be a nice man and kept saying we could wait......Well, the people are no longer waiting and they want a change given the scenario has changed and there are better leaders

    Posted 2 years ago by Geoff Ng · Reply

  • Am I missing something here? Harapan just got drubbed in Malacca and you fellas are discussing about the next PH prime minister? Come down to earth lah!

    Posted 2 years ago by Simple Sulaiman · Reply