Anwar Dah Patut Umum Bila Tarikh Dia Nak Jadi Pm Do Or Die

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KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said on Thursday (Feb 6) he was ready to wait for six more months beyond the initially agreed May deadline to take over as prime minister from Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, and that he had enough support in Parliament to do so.Dr Mahathir led the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition to a stunning victory in a general election in May 2018, joining hands with former enemies including Anwar to bring down Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is facing multiple charges of corruption mostly linked to the looting of sovereign fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).Dr Mahathir had promised to hand over the premiership to Anwar within two years of the general election result, but later said he would stay on until at least November to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in November.The 94-year-old also said Anwar would have to secure parliamentary majority to become prime minister.“You’ve waited 20 years, extending six months doesn’t actually matter, ” Anwar told Reuters at his private office, expressing confidence that the coalition allies would stand behind him, as they did for Dr Mahathir.“If there’s a request to go back to parliament, of course it can be done, but PH has the majority right now. Even those who are not in PH, some would support the PM of the day. I also have been given that assurance. They support Dr Mahathir as the PM, and they will continue to support me when I assume the premiership.”Anwar had served as deputy prime minister and finance minister during Dr Mahathir’s first 22-year stint in office, but was sacked in 1998 after falling out with Malaysia’s “Old Man” over how to defend the economy against the Asian financial crisis.Going into opposition, Anwar quickly drew support from a large section of Malay Muslims, the multi-cultural country’s dominant ethnic group, to form the Reformasi movement, before being jailed a year later on corruption and sodomy charges that he said were politically motivated.In the years following his release, Anwar rebuilt his following and came close to defeating Najib, another Dr Mahathir protege, in the disputed 2013 general election. Two years later, he was jailed, once again on sodomy charges that he denied.He was released on a royal pardon soon after Najib lost power in the 2018 election.In total, Anwar had spent close to 10 years in prison as a result of the two convictions.But controversy continued to dog the 72-year-old, after a former aide last year accused him of trying to force him to have sex in September 2018. The solicitor-general last month ruled out pressing charges against Anwar over the allegations, which the politician described as “politics at its worst”.Same-sex acts are illegal in Muslim-majority Malaysia, and carry penalties of up to 20 years in jail if convicted.“Of course I have many political foes. The corrupt few will do whatever it takes to ensure that I do not assume office, ” said Anwar, dressed in a casual blue chequered-shirt.The protracted feud between Dr Mahathir and Anwar, the country’s two most charismatic politicians, has dominated Malaysian politics for decades.Since his release, Anwar has stayed out of government, biding his time while his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has served as deputy prime minister to Dr Mahathir.Anwar said he was ready to move on from the bitter past, and that he would be willing to carve out space for Dr Mahathir to continue to contribute after he takes over as prime minister.“His presence in a way... would certainly help boost the general confidence and give some sort of semblance of stability and order, ” Anwar said, using Dr Mahathir’s honorific.“There will be no real drastic policy difference. There would be different emphasis, of course, but on a personal basis, I certainly welcome very much his presence and contribution in any way.”He would, however, look to mend soured ties with India after Dr Mahathir’s criticism of New Delhi’s two recent policies led to a massive fall in palm oil trade between the countries.One thing that will not change is Malaysia’s demand for reparations from Goldman Sachs over its role in the multibillion-dollar scandal at state fund 1MDB, Anwar said.He repeated Dr Mahathir’s position that the US bank’s initial settlement offer of over US$1bil was too small, but declined to say how much he felt was sufficient compensation.“Certainly the amount has to be substantial, because we’re looking not only at the loss of dollars, but the loss of reputation, investments, and the perception about Malaysia, ” Anwar said.Goldman has said it is discussions with authorities on a possible resolution of investigations relating to 1MDB. - Reuters
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I feel like floating, says Dr M on support from Umno and PAS

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): Malaysia's Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the world's oldest prime minister, promised on Tuesday (Dec 10) to hand over power to anointed successor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in spite of new sexual assault allegations against him.Dr Mahathir, 94, told Reuters in an interview that he would not hand over before a summit of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) countries that Malaysia is to host in November but could be ready after that."I made a promise to hand over and I will, accepting that I thought that a change immediately before the Apec summit would be disruptive," Mahathir said."As far as I'm concerned, I'm stepping down and I'm handing the baton to him. If people don't want him, that is their business, but I will do my part of the promise... irrespective of whatever allegation. I made my promise, I keep my promise."Asked if a handover could come in December 2020, Dr Mahathir said: "We'll look at that when the time comes."The turbulent relationship between the two men - allies turned fierce rivals who later reunited to win power - has shaped politics in the South-East Asian country for decades.Dr Mahathir was unexpectedly elected in 2018 as the head of a coalition government whose largest party is led by Anwar, 72, who has been jailed twice on separate counts of sodomy and for corruption - charges he says were political.Last week, Anwar denied fresh allegations by a former aide that he had tried to force him to have sex - describing the accusations as "politics at its worst".It is Dr Mahathir's second stint as Malaysia's premier, a post he previously held for 22 years from 1981 to 2003. Anwar was his deputy from 1993 to 1998, when the two fell out. Anwar was jailed the following year.Although Dr Mahathir promised to hand over to Anwar during the 2018 election campaign, doubts grew over his intentions when he later said he needed more time to steer the heavily-indebted country out of its troubles first.Dr Mahathir said he hoped for an out-of-court settlement with Goldman Sachs soon over the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal that sent Malaysia's debt soaring.He also raised the possibility of selling stakes in state energy firm Petronas to oil and gas-rich provinces.Firing back responses to questions from his perch on a sofa in his palatial office at Putrajaya on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, Dr Mahathir said he did not feel tired despite his age because he was satisfied by his work."I try to do some minor exercise, but mainly I keep my weight stable," he said."I've been 62 kilos for the past 30 or 40 years, it doesn't change. I don't eat very much, and I don't eat... when food tastes nice. I don't overeat."As well as planning to be the first leader in the world to host the Apec summit twice, Dr Mahathir has been pushing to cement his legacy as a leader in the Muslim world.A summit in Kuala Lumpur next week would bring leaders from Iran, Pakistan, Turkey and other Muslim countries, officials said.Dr Mahathir said the meeting would look into situations where Muslims were being oppressed.That would include allegations of rights abuses against Uighur Muslims in China's Xinjiang region, Dr Mahathir said, while adding prospects for action by the Muslim world were limited."Taking a stand is one thing, doing something that can improve this situation is another thing. You take a stand which may well result in more pressure being applied and it is not going to do us any good," he said."The Muslim world cannot challenge anybody. We are very weak. Anybody can manipulate us, they can even make us fight each other. That's how we are."Dr Mahathir has in the past said that China was too powerful to challenge over the accusations in Xinjiang, which China denies.He has not spared fellow South-East Asian nation Myanmar from criticism over treatment of Rohingya Muslims after more than 700,000 were driven into Bangladesh by a military crackdown in 2017.With Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi set to defend Myanmar against accusations at the World Court in The Hague this week, Dr Mahathir said he hoped that abuses would be recognised and accepted."We hope that they will be able to explain and accept the fact that there has been genocide carried out," he said. "We hope that they will respond in one way or another to international opinion." - Reuters

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