BN ‘did not approach PKR on GE14 night”

Chan Kok Leong Chan Kok Leong Updated 7 years ago · Published on 13 Jul 2018 7:00AM · 5 Comments

Kulim Bandar Baharu MP Saifuddin Nasution Ismail says no one from BN approached him on election night to engineer a PKR defection. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, July 13, 2018.

BARISAN Nasional did not approach PKR to form a coalition government on the night of May 9, said PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

“It’s not true. You’re not the first to ask me this question.

“It was brought up in the Pakatan Harapan meeting last May. In one of the meetings after the elections, that issue was brought up where all the senior leaders, such as Anwar Ibrahim, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Lim Guan Eng, attended.

“I explained to them that this is a coalition of trust and respect. We have formed a coalition to work together and made a promise to voters and they had decided,” said the domestic trade and consumer affairs minister in his office yesterday.

Saifuddin said he was happy to clear the air on the issue once and for all.

“I was happy that it was raised in the PH meeting and that gave me the opportunity to explain. 

“To say that there was an effort to form a government (with BN), implicates PKR and as secretary-general, I would know. 

“And I told the PH council that nobody approached me or other party leaders,” said the Kulim Bandar Baharu MP.

The issue cropped up after the elections as newly elected Umno president Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had suggested to his party that BN could come back to power before GE15.

During the campaign to be Umno president, Zahid also suggested that PH would implode and his good relationship with many PH leaders could help BN’s return.

Anwar and Saifuddin’s relationship with Zahid is also said to be good as the three were Umno Youth leaders in the late 1990s before Anwar’s sacking from Umno.

While Saifuddin left the party to form PKR, Zahid was detained under the Internal Security Act for supporting Anwar then.

In May, Anwar also said former prime minister and BN chairman Najib Razak had called him twice on election night after BN’s loss.

The PKR de facto leader said Najib sought his advice on the next course of action. – July 13, 2018.

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Comments

  • The problem with this statement by Saifuddin is : Believability Deficit.
    What was Najib chatting with Anwar on the evening of May the 9th ? Surely , it cant be about the weather on that balmy night.
    Its best for Saifuddin , to let sleeping dogs lie .

    Posted 7 years ago by [email protected] · Reply

    • Just a desperate move by Najib on Election night. Nothing more to it.

      Posted 7 years ago by Pak Yus · Reply

    • Wouldn't believe Zahid's assertion of having a "good relationship with many PH leaders" based on one photo opportunity with Tun Mahathir, would you?

      Posted 7 years ago by Pak Yus · Reply

  • Saifuddin, you mean well but I'm afraid you're lowering your credibility (not Anwar's or PKR's) with this statement.

    Correct me if I'm wrong: you are more on the #everybody_does_white_lies side here. You are bei g defensive.

    This is what I would hsve done if I were you Tto the question whether BN approached PKR as soon as the results were evident.

    Ans: You can't stop the thickskin Najib. Or that of the Empress of Putrajaya. Yes the bullies approached Anwar. Anwar is candid. Even more so, when he is exhilarated. One can never grasp in his stomach how excited, grateful and relieved Anwar was with the thumping win. Finally, any remaining doubts he had of his odyssey that started on Sept 3, 1998 when Sangkancil at Malaysia.Net was rumbling and tumbling was over.

    Exhiliration is an understatement.

    You might have seen coverage of shameless duo visiting Anwar in the hospital. Look at Anwar's expression. Disdain. These sick men would exploit a dead carcass. But Anwar was not in a position to influence Najib or Zahid coming and setting up photo ops for their relentless propaganda.

    On the tumultuos night of May 9, Najib offered and Anwar stuck by his conviction -- "no way, jose". That snipped Najib's undermining at the bud. That added to his inseparable, Wan Azizah's commitment to Mahathir as PH's choice of PM.

    So critical Wan Azizah onthe outside's commitment was as the crown roo of the burgeoning PH tree were being stress-tested by the wake of the tsunami.

    Do you know who halted the 2 Saudi jets landing on the night of May 9? If not for which, we would have lost many billions more?

    I know you asked if PKR ie Anwar was approached by BN. There you go -- sense it in the rich context. Come let's re-enact it in a movie. If the reality i on the news is out you will realise it is more cliff-hanging, more angst, more shocks, more surprises than the Thai Cave Rescue.

    #ge14 #509 #balapillai #spiritofponnamal

    Posted 7 years ago by Bala Pillai · Reply

  • It would go against UMNO fascist policy to approach multi-racial PKR to form a Federal alliance after GE14. And it has little to do with "trust and respect within the coalition" and everything to do with race, bigotry and corruption.

    Posted 7 years ago by Roger 5201 · Reply