Sources say ‘Pakatan Plus’ mulling Anwar as DPM candidate with Shafie, but will he accept?

Yesterday, Bersatu MP Maszlee Malik also wrote an op-ed in which he said Dr Mahathir’s support is vital if Anwar is to form a new government, pointing at the insufficient support of MPs that lie with Anwar.

RADZI RAZAK, MALAY MAIL ONLINE

In the last week or so, Pakatan Harapan (PH) and its allies have seemingly been rejuvenated with hope that it may have turned the tide in garnering the majority in the Parliament after the Perikatan Nasional (PN) took over Putrajaya in March.

However, several sources who wished to remain unnamed have indicated that the pact has been deadlocked for days on making any counter-move, due to the inability so far to agree on who to lead this new pact called PH Plus ― which included Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s faction in Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, and Parti Warisan Sabah.

In a bid to not repeat the succession obscurity that ostensibly led to the fall of PH administration, sources said PH Plus has now put forward the proposal of cementing PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s post as deputy prime minister under Dr Mahathir, together with another deputy in Warisan president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal.

“It will be a first as no Sabah or Sarawak leaders had been DPM,” one source from Warisan told Malay Mail.

The sources said this suggestion was put forth during Wednesday’s PH Plus meeting in PKR’s headquarters, which also marked Anwar’s first appearance together with Dr Mahathir outside of Parliament since February.

“They also tabled that [Dr Mahathir] will make way for Anwar with two conditions,” said a source from Amanah, referring to party leaders and Dr Mahathir.

“Firstly, [it will only be] after six months; and second, Anwar has to get support from Sabah and Sarawak.”

However, the sources said the meeting did not arrive at any decision, as Anwar had asked for a week’s time to decide.

This was evident in the joint statement issued by the parties involved following the meeting, in which they said any decision coming from the meeting will be finalised in the coming week.

Yesterday after PH Presidential Council meeting, PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil also hinted at the same: saying both PH side (which included Anwar), and PH Plus side (which included Dr Mahathir) need to meet one more time before issuing any decision by next Tuesday ― which would mark the one-week period since the Wednesday meeting.

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