Azalina: Will Dr M now say allegations against Anwar are false?

The Umno minister says Dr Mahathir’s meeting with Anwar has revealed the former prime minister’s lack of confidence in Bersatu’s ability to take down BN.

(FMT) – Umno minister Azalina Othman Said today wondered just how far former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad was willing to go to take down the current administration.

Commenting on Dr Mahathir’s reunion with his former ally-turned-enemy Anwar Ibrahim yesterday, the minister in the prime minister’s department said she was not surprised.

“Mahathir is a political expert. He led the country for almost 22 years. Besides, in politics there are no permanent friends and no permanent enemies,” she told a press conference at the Parliament building.

“But I (have a) question as to his next move. Will he now admit that the allegations against Anwar did not actually take place?

“How can Anwar be jailed, but Mahathir remains free?”

Anwar was sacked from his post as deputy prime minister in 1998 by Dr Mahathir over political differences. He was then charged with sodomy and corruption, landing him behind bars for six years while Dr Mahathir continued to run the country.

Yesterday, the duo met at the Kuala Lumpur High Court for the first time after 18 years, where Anwar, who is currently serving a five-year jail term for a second conviction of sodomy, filed an interim injunction to stop the National Security Council (NSC) Act 2016 from being enforced.

According to Azalina, Dr Mahathir’s presence, which the latter claimed was in support of Anwar, showed his lack of confidence in the new Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s (Bersatu) ability to defeat the Barisan Nasional (BN).

“Mahathir and Anwar have a lot in common, today (they are) friends, tomorrow (they are) enemies, the next day (they are) friends.

“Both were former leaders of Umno. In Western countries, when the leaders resign or retire, they really retire. Here, although they have retired, they can still be in politics.

“If this is the party’s strategy, then maybe it’s true. Maybe he has no confidence in the new party.”

Dr Mahathir is the pro-tem chairman of Bersatu, a party he formed along with former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, to topple the BN-led government.

In July, Dr Mahathir said the party would work with the federal Opposition pact Pakatan Harapan to ensure a straight fight against BN in the next general election.