Anwar calls off PH meeting after ‘scolding’ MP behind Mat Sabu-Guan Eng statement

A joint statement by top Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders – minus its chairman Anwar Ibrahim – has unsettled the PKR leader and led to the cancellation of a planned meeting of the coalition’s leaders yesterday, MalaysiaNow has learnt through sources in the opposition bloc.

The statement by DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu is seen as a veiled criticism of Anwar over several announcements that he had secured enough support to bring down the Perikatan Nasional government.

It is learnt that Anwar had also berated a senior MP from PH over his purported role in drafting the joint statement.

“After the statement made the news, Anwar berated him at the MPs’ lounge in Parliament for questioning his political strategy to work together with Umno MPs to topple Muhyiddin Yassin,” the source told MalaysiaNow.

The source added that Anwar was incensed that the statement was issued without going through PH.

“Due to that, Anwar decided to call off the PH meeting,” it added.

Efforts by MalaysiaNow to contact the senior PH MP have been in vain.

Yesterday, Lim and Mohamad, better known as Mat Sabu, warned PH leaders against placing trust in MPs from the ruling bloc to gain power.

They also said the coalition should work on its current strengths, as Tuesday’s budget vote which saw the opposition obtain 108 against the government’s 111 showed that no one from the ruling bloc would back any move to topple Muhyiddin.

“The budget vote… has taught us not to waste our energy seeking the mirage of more than 111 MPs based only on PH’s core of 92 MPs,” they said.

The pair also called for greater cooperation between PH and other opposition parties to form “PH Plus”.

Since September, Anwar and his supporters have claimed that he has a “strong and formidable” majority to form the government.

“What hurt them the most is that Anwar had been in cahoots with Zahid and Najib without consulting PH leaders.”

In October, MalaysiaNow revealed that Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and former prime minister Najib Razak had written to the palace expressing support for the opposition leader.

Speaking to MalaysiaNow, a source from Amanah said yesterday’s statement by Lim and Mat Sabu was just part of a growing criticism of Anwar by PH leaders.

“But what hurt them the most is that Anwar had been in cahoots with Zahid and Najib without consulting PH leaders.

“When questioned, Anwar said it was important that his efforts to return the people’s mandate be done discreetly,” the source added.

Last weekend, MalaysiaNow published parts of a leaked private conversation between PKR leaders heaping scorn on their president.

In one instance, two senior Youth leaders said the grassroots felt cheated and had been left squabbling among themselves while Anwar remained the “dewa” (god).