Anwar says it again, he has the numbers, but Umno leaders in the dark

PKR president Anwar Ibrahim has again claimed to have the numbers to form the federal government.

At a press conference today, he said he had the support of the majority of MPs and was prepared to have an audience with the Agong.

“With this, the government led by Muhyiddin Yassin has collapsed,” he added.

Several senior Umno leaders however told MalaysiaNow that they were not aware of any move to back Anwar as prime minister.

“Wallahu a’lam,” said Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan when contacted, using an Arabic expression meaning “God knows best”.

Another Umno leader, Khairy Jamaluddin, said he had just attended a Cabinet meeting. “Nothing fell or collapsed,” the science, technology and innovation minister posted on Twitter.

Anwar, whose party lost power with the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government in February, said his margin of support was not fragile.

“It is a strong, formidable, convincing majority,” he said.

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah is currently undergoing what is thought to be a routine check-up at the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur.

Anwar said he had earlier made a request for an audience with the Agong to inform him of the numbers.

“I promise to form a government with integrity and commitment to address the crisis that has befallen the country, and to put an end to corruption and fight for the well-being of the people,” he added in a prepared statement.

This is not the first time Anwar has claimed to have the majority support to form the government.

In 2008, he famously declared that MPs from Barisan Nasional had switched loyalties to back him as prime minister.

Anwar said then that he had the documents to prove his support. The change of government on Sept 16, 2008, however, did not take place.