ANWAR Ibrahim skipped a meeting with Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad yesterday as it was for Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders involved in the formation of the cabinet last year.

In a statement, PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil said the party president at that time was Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail so she was invited to the meeting instead of Anwar

Fahmi said the meeting was for the prime minister to get feedback on government operations from the PH leaders and had touched on ministers’ portfolios and the respective ministries.

He was responding to a statement posted on Facebook by a staunch supporter of Dr Mahathir, Khairuddin Abu Hassan, who accused Anwar Ibrahim of being “egoistic and disrespectful” for not attending the meeting purportedly to discuss a cabinet reshuffle.

Fahmi said Khairuddin’s accusations had no basis, is malicious and was made with bad intention.

Khairuddin’s claim was amidst reports that a cabinet reshuffle is in the works and could be announced as soon as next week, according to sources.

No cabinet members will be axed or added but portfolios will be swapped instead, two sources told The Malaysian Insight.

“The reshuffle won’t axe any minister, it will be merely to change their portfolios.

“In other words, Anwar won’t enter the cabinet,” a source told The Malaysian Insight

In his Facebook post, Khairuddin accused the prime minister designate of not respecting PH consensus by staying away from the meeting.

He questioned why had Anwar skipped the meeting and if the PKR political bureau meeting he chaired yesterday was more important than a meeting called by the prime minister.

Khairuddin said even though Anwar had been designated to take over as prime minister when Dr Mahathir steps down, “this has not happened yet and you should respect the invitation of the prime minister”.

“After all, everyone should respect the prime minister today.”

He said if Anwar wants to be a good leader, he needs to set his priorities right.

Khairuddin also said in the posting that Anwar’s failure to attend the meeting showed he has “a big ego”. – August 22, 2019.