KOTA KINABALU - Faced with a myriad of problems, the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government will go very soon, said PKR President Anwar Ibrahim last night.
The Port Dickson MP said the PN federal government is now unstable after taking power in February this year.
"The country still has an infrastructure problem. The jobless rate is very high in Sabah and already there are 800,000 people unemployed and by end of this year the numbers could be 1 million.
"They are unstable. They are aimless. So don’t put your support behind them too much. Anytime they can go. And if you trust me, they will go very soon, " he said during his ceramah in Inanam here.
Anwar went as far as to say that his coalition will have the numbers if a general election is called.
He said PKR supporters must vote in the party’s Inanam candidate Peto Galim to make sure Warisan leader Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal can be the chief minister again.
Anwar was given a five-minute window to speak in the ceramah after the authorities ordered for the event to stop, as the organisers had failed to obtain a permit.
Earlier, a couple of officers in vests with the Election Commission printed on them walked towards Anwar’s table to order the event to stop.
The ceramah held at the BTC Restaurant Banquet Hall was supposed to be the PKR leader’s last speaking engagement for the night. Anwar is visiting the state amid the 16th Sabah election campaign.
Earlier, Anwar had attended several PKR events at Sook in Nabawan, Klias in Beaufort, Tamparuli,Tuaran and the Palace Hotel in Kota Kinabalu, before heading to the Inanam venue.
PKR vice president Xavier Jeyakumar was earlier heard raising his voice at the two officers while the Inanam candidate Peto Galim was giving his speech.
Jeyakumar was seen returning to the table and informing Anwar who announced that the event was held without a permit.
The crowd responded with a sigh and as several audience begin to leave the hall a man could be heard shouting "This is all Muhyiddin’s work", in reference to prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
PKR strategic director Sim Tze Tzin requested that Anwar should be given five minutes and the authorities consented.
Anwar immediately left the hall after giving his speech.
Sim later explained there was nothing irregular in the authorities stopping a ceramah.
He said the ceramah was supposed to be closed-door event and the organiser had failed to obtain a permit as the authorities who could approve it had their office closed on Saturday and Sunday.
"We were only able to apply for the permit on Friday night... The department should have allowed the function as it is the campaign period," he said. – The Vibes, Sept 21, 2020
