KUALA LUMPUR – The idea that PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was offered to form a government without DAP during last year’s Sheraton Move did not arise as the coup was to remove him from the equation, said Liew Chin Tong.
In a blog post today, the DAP national political education director said he attended many meetings with Anwar’s inner circle in the week from February 23 to 29, 2020, and that he kept personal records and notes.
“On July 1, 2019, not long after the spread of videos allegedly involving Datuk Seri (Mohamed) Azmin Ali’s sex acts, an Azmin ally met me and told me that DAP had to choose between Anwar and Azmin, and be prepared for the consequences of not choosing Azmin.
“I told him DAP was duty-bound to ensure the smooth and successful transition between Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (involving the prime minister’s post).
“In October 2019, the attempted coup of Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and Azmin intercepted and did not succeed.
“At that point (in) time, racial sentiments were provoked to paint DAP as a terrorist, communist and racist party that must be sacked from the government. The plan was to bring 17 Umno MPs from Hishammuddin’s camp, 18 PAS MPs and 18 GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) MPs, altogether 53, to replace MPs from DAP (42) and Amanah (11), also 53.”
By removing DAP and Amanah, he said, the plotters knew that they would get rid of the numbers needed by Anwar to become prime minister.
“Without the support from DAP and Amanah for Anwar’s claim to be PM, Azmin was confident that he could take control of PKR. Fast forward to January and February 2020, DAP and Amanah leaders were urging supporters of Anwar and Dr Mahathir to lower the political temperature.”
The senator said they were asked to ensure the successful transition between Dr Mahathir and Anwar after the November Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) meeting.
“At the Majlis Presiden (presidential council) meeting on February 21, 2020, Azmin openly campaigned for Dr Mahathir to stay for a full term, while DAP and Amanah leaders, myself included, argued passionately for the coalition to stick (to) a Dr Mahathir-Anwar transition after Apec. The leaked audio recording proved DAP and Amanah’s active defence of Anwar, at the parties’ own peril.”
He said DAP was steadfast in its support for a Dr Mahathir-Anwar/Anwar-Dr Mahathir government to ensure a smooth transition and a successful administration.
“We can agree to disagree on the question of PKR’s initiative to form a government by negotiating with the (Umno) court cluster. But this is best done without altering history.”
DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang in a statement today said it is the first time that he heard Anwar was approached to be part of the Sheraton Move conspiracy to topple the Pakatan Harapan government.
Lim and Liew were both responding to a recent news report citing PKR organising secretary Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.
“I met Anwar several times in the week after the Sheraton Move in February 2020, as well as in the following months, but Anwar never mentioned Nik Nazmi’s version of the Sheraton Move to me,” said Lim.
The manoeuvre led to the PH government’s collapse, paving the way for the Perikatan Nasional coalition led by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to take Putrajaya. – The Vibes, March 21, 2021
