Speaking to media at the party’s headquarters here just hours after Muhyiddin Yassin was sworn in as Malaysia’s eighth prime minister, Anwar said it was only natural that PKR and their supporters felt “betrayed” by the backdoor dealings which led to Muhyiddin’s rise — and his choice to work with politicians who are “blatantly corrupt”.
PKR’s sacked deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali held a series of meetings with former opposition parties to form a new coalition last Sunday, which has successfully prevented Anwar from succeeding Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Stating that there was “treachery” involved in the week-long political crisis which saw him fall short of the coveted prime minister’s post, Anwar said he has since “moved on” and that the country’s leaders should now shift their attention to more pressing matters.
“Our economy is in dire straits now and we need to refocus on the economy, but we can’t depend on those who abuse power and enrich themselves to champion the cause of the common man,” said Anwar.
“The workers, the farmers, the fishermen… They need to be protected.
“But these people are not talking about these issues,” he added, after PKR’s Central Leadership Council meeting.
“What is worse is that issues of the rakyat like poverty, inequality and reform are not on the agenda.
“The only arrangement was to secure power, even with those who are blatantly corrupt and internationally known for having abused power while in office.”
Muhyiddin will head a new coalition government called Perikatan Nasional, comprising PPBM, Umno, PAS and other MPs.
Anwar said PKR is still intact but noted that some of the party’s supporters have expressed remorse because they were not privy to some of the backdoor deals undertaken by some leaders.
“The followers are innocent. They feel betrayed because they didn’t know there was a conspiracy to topple the government,” he said.
When asked if Muhyiddin’s faction had reached out to him, Anwar said they had but he was “sticking to his principles”.
Noting that the new coalition is a Malay-based cause, Anwar reiterated that Malaysia is a multiracial country and that he does not “condone any racist agenda”.
“I believe consistently that the plight of the people, the poor man, irrespective of race, must be given priority,” he said.