Pakatan fielding Dr M since star player ‘injured’, Saifuddin says

(Bernama) – Pakatan Harapan failed to impress Kuantan residents when a ceramah held here yesterday was unable to draw a good public response.

Its secretariat head Datuk Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah admitted that Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s selection as prime minister if the opposition won the 14th General Election had caused dissatisfaction among a large number of supporters because the Pakatan was using a recycled candidate.

“We are like a football team which has been practicing for years, but when we want to enter the game, our star of hope is hurt or we have to play in a very bad field condition or rainy weather.

“Many want (Datuk Seri) Anwar (Ibrahim), including me. If Anwar can get a royal pardon and be freed tomorrow and can contest in the election, of course we will nominate him,” he said before some 300 people who were present at the opposition’s ceramah here last night attended by Seputeh member of Parliament Teresa Kok, Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh and other opposition leaders.

Saifuddin said Dr Mahathir’s selection was also backed by a study that found three Malay national figures who attracted the attention of youth, namely Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, Dr Mahathir and Anwar.

This led to the combination of Mahathir-Anwar as the ideal opposition pact, he said.