KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has admitted to holding discussions with Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on the formation of a new government before the infamous Sheraton Move in March last year.
However, the opposition leader claims the matter is completely irrelevant and inconsequential as the move did not materialise as negotiations did not take into account Pakatan Harapan’s struggles.
“Yes, there were meetings, Muhyiddin had discussions with me. But to me, the issue is irrelevant. It does not factor in our principles and our line of struggles.
“There were no concrete discussions on that,” the PKR president told a press conference after visiting Lim Kit Siang’s Teater Impian art exhibition that celebrates his political journey here today.
Anwar was asked to comment on PKR organising secretary Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad’s revelation on March 20 that he was initially approached to be part of the Sheraton Move last year, but had rejected the offer and chose to stand with PH.
Nik Nazmi had said Anwar had rejected the opportunity to be in the Perikatan Nasional government as he was not willing to ditch PH ally DAP, as those behind the move only wanted PKR’s support.
A day later, Lim – who is DAP’s Iskandar Puteri MP – said he had no knowledge of the approach that was made to the opposition leader, claiming Anwar made no mention of it in their meetings after the Sheraton Move.
Anwar’s response today is his first public statement on the matter.
On Bank Negara Malaysia’s (BNM) statement today that complacency in managing Covid-19 could lead to resurgences and consequently the reimposition of strict containment measures, Anwar said the bigger focus should be on the government’s illegitimacy and its failure to address the economy.
“We can’t run away from the core issue that the government has lost support and is illegitimate. And this why many (investors) are not coming in.
“There is no focus on the economy. Lim spoke earlier about investment and confidence, there is no such thing here,” he said.
Earlier today, BNM governor Datuk Nor Shamsiah Mohd Yunus had warned against complacency in handling the pandemic, claiming there remains significant uncertainty surrounding the evolution and trajectory of the health crisis even with the signs of economic recovery and the global roll-out of vaccines. – The Vibes, March 31, 2021
