New government in the works as PH’s end nears
KUCHING: Speculations rule.
There is a kind of nervousness in Putrajaya as words go round that a new government is being hatched amidst happenings that no one can confirmed.
Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu)’s Datuk Seri Redzuan Yusof let slip that the party had discussed leaving Pakatan Harapan (PH) even as Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was reportedly holding separate meetings with PH party leaders.
Sources even went as far as saying Dr Mahathir had asked Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali as well as leaders of Parti Warisan Sabah, Umno, PAS and Gabungan Parti Sarawak to meet him.
National papers took keen interest in the appearance of Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, the chairman of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), who was at a closed-door meeting with GPS MPs at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, Kuala Lumpur at 2pm “on a matter of great importance”.
Pressmen followed his movement like a pack of wolves but the chief minister apparently eluded them altogether without them knowing he had actually left the hotel at 3.55pm with his Sabah counterpart Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Afdal, for a meeting at Istana Negara.
Pressmen tried to glean something from the GPS MPs but none offered to talk.
Elsewhere, Bersatu and People’s Justice Party (PKR) also had their respective emergency meeting.
Bersatu’s meeting at the party’s headquarters was chaired by Dr Mahathir himself while at a hotel nearby Azmin Ali, the PKR No. 2, was rallying for an important meeting of PKR MPs.
Azmin and PKR vice-president Zuraida Kamaruddin were expected to make an announcement a bit later.
It was reported that Umno held a special meeting of the party’s Supreme Council at Menara Dato’ Onn.
All this political ballyhoo took place just two days of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) Presidential Council that gave Dr Mahathir unfettered power to decide when to step down as prime minister.
At a press conference held after the meeting Dr Mahathir, flanked by Anwar and his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah, said: “No time…no date…nothing. It’s up to me to determine the date.”
And this was affirmed by Anwar: “I myself suggested that Tun Dr Mahathir be given the space to administer and when the time comes (for the handover) …he will fix a suitable date…”
Yesterday’s flurry of movements amongst the political parties and politicians aligned to the prime minister, therefore, was seen as a precursor to a new government without DAP and Anwar.
At the time of writing, Dr Mahathir’s residence at Seri Kembangan was under siege of pressmen who believed that it was where the MPs were housed.
Reporters were also gathered at the entrance of Istana Negara when words went round that Dr Mahathir was expected to meet the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
