ANWAR Ibrahim was approached to be part of the “Sheraton Move” to topple the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government, but the PKR president rejected the offer, said Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.

The PKR organising secretary said Anwar decided to remain loyal to PH, and rejected the opportunity to be in the new government backed by Bersatu, Umno and PAS.

“Anwar was not willing to ditch PH ally DAP, as the Sheraton Move backers only wanted PKR, and not DAP,” Nik Nazmi said when asked to comment if a possible PKR-Umno collaboration at the 15th general election was just to make Anwar the prime minister.

“Had Anwar wanted to be prime minister, he could have done it ages ago.

“Even as recent as the Sheraton Move (in February 2020), he was approached to bring PKR into the new coalition, but at that time the condition was, ‘no DAP’.

“Anwar did not agree,” the Setiawangsa MP told The Malaysian Insight, but did not say who made the offer.

Earlier this week Anwar admitted holding talks with certain Umno leaders. At the same time, a group of top Umno leaders had also indicated their readiness to work with Anwar and PKR.

A year ago, senior Bersatu leaders and a faction of PKR led by Mohamed Azmin Ali, joined forces with Umno and PAS came together at a dinner at the Sheraton Hotel in Petaling Jaya, in what has become known as the Sheraton Move to topple the PH government and replace it with Perikatan Nasional government led by Muhyiddin Yassin.

At that time, the PH government led by Dr Mahathir Mohamad had just agreed that the baton be passed to Anwar by the end of the year.

Dr Mahathir had said he was not in favour of the PN government and left Bersatu to start his new party Pejuang which remains in the opposition camp with four members of parliament.

Ineffective power transition plan

Nik Nazmi said the power transition agreed Dr Mahathir and Anwar when PH took power in May 2018 was eyewash as the former was interested only in consolidating his position as the prime minister.

In order to consolidate his position, Nik Nazmi said Dr Mahathir had invited Umno lawmakers to switch camps to Bersatu even when PH had a majority to govern.

“The two-year agreement about Anwar becoming the prime minister was a big eyewash because Dr Mahathir pulled Umno MPs to secure his position, even when we had enough numbers to form the government.

“There was no need (to get MPs to switch) at that time because we won and had the majority in Parliament, and we could govern.

“People started whispering when Umno MPs jumped, asking if Dr Mahathir was reneging on the deal with Anwar. Obviously, in hindsight, it was,” he said.

When asked if PKR would be better off by working with Umno or Pejuang, Nik Nazmi said both parties had similar ideologies.

Nik Nazmi said Dr Mahathir continues to be critical of Anwar.

Late last year, Dr Mahathir said that Anwar was not fit to be prime minister. – March 20, 2021.