PKR president Anwar Ibrahim has maintained that he had the backing of the majority of MPs in 2020, which would have made him prime minister, saying in an interview that he still has the support letters from party chiefs.

However, Anwar said that he would not reveal documents to prove this until a later date.

He told The Vibes that his bid to become prime minister was cancelled because he could not agree with certain “conditions”.

“We rejected shallow racial policies, we rejected corruption, and we must follow the governance and leadership (of Pakatan Harapan).

“There was also another condition to prevent the hijacking of the government, which had happened before,” the Port Dickson MP said.

Anwar has been repeatedly mocked since the political crisis over his claims to the top job.

He said that his bid was scuttled because he did not agree with “guarantees” to allow the release of those facing corruption charges, and that he was firm on this even though it meant that he would not become prime minister.

“From early on, the conditions in the discussions were laid out, and I did not budge.

“The root of it is this: it was due to these conditions that I failed to become prime minister, but I cannot betray the trust of the people.”

However, he did not explain why he continued to say he had the numbers despite, refusing the conditions of support.

On September 23, 2020, Anwar held a press conference to say he was ready to form a federal government.

“I have a strong, formidable and convincing majority to form the government.

“I have full support, that is convincing from the parliamentarians, to present to the Agong. The majority of this is from Malay-Muslim parliamentarians.

“With the firm majority… Muhyiddin’s (Yassin) government has fallen,” Anwar said.

However, his words fizzled out and Muhyiddin remained prime minister for another year before his shaky coalition was brought down in August 2021by the Umno faction led by president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and former president Najib Razak. – April 19, 2022.