Anwar says Pakatan ‘way ahead’ in race to Putrajaya


Desmond Davidson

Pakatan Harapan prime minister designate Anwar Ibrahim says the opposition colation is 'ahead' of rivals in race to Putrajaya. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, November 12, 2022.

ANWAR Ibrahim has claimed that the Pakatan Harapan coalition he leads is “way ahead” of rivals Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Barisan Nasional (BN) in the race to form the next federal government.

The PH prime minister designate did not say how far ahead they are but Anthony Loke, the DAP secretary-general who is accompanying him on his campaign trail to Sarawak and Sabah to drum up support, said even though PH is leading, the coalition still will not have the required number of seats to form the government.

Parliament has 222 seats and 112 seats would give any party a simple majority to form the government.

Loke said Anwar and his fleeting stopover in Kuching this morning was therefore to “re-emphasise” the coalition’s offers to Sarawak and Sabah and appeal to voters in the two Borneo states to back their candidates.

Loke, who is defending his Seremban parliamentary seat in this general election (GE), does not hide the fact that PH “are relying” on its partner parties in the two states to deliver the seats to make up the shortfall.

Support for the multi-racial party of PKR, Amanah and DAP in the peninsular is also growing in predominantly Malay states like Kelantan and Pahang, he added.

The offers PH is making to Sarawak and Sabah are to resolve all issues relating to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) “without much negotiations” and to give Sarawak and Sabah autonomy over education and health services.

Universiti Malaya’s political analyst Awang Azman Awang Pawi said he is disappointed with the offers.

“They’re nothing new,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

“I had expected them to make something new and significant,” he said.

After Kuching, Anwar and Loke head to Sabah with appointments in the parliamentary constituencies of Kalabakan, Putatan and Sepanggar.

Previously, PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli had said that PH was controlling the GE narrative and was leading with about 80 seats in hand, with Barisan Nasional a close second with about 60 to 70 seats.

He too, however warned that the election outcome would result in a hung parliament, with political parties needing to form new pacts to form the government. – November 12, 2022.


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