Dr M, Anwar to lead Pakatan in GE14

PETALING JAYA: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, arch rivals in the past, have teamed up to lead Pakatan Harapan into GE14. Anwar's wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail is the third person in the highest echelon of Pakatan. However, missing from the very top is DAP.

Anwar, who is in jail for sodomy, was named its ketua umum (de facto leader), Dr Mahathir (pic) its chairman while Dr Wan Azizah is its president. DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng was in the deputy line-up together with Pribumi president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu.

Pakatan's announcement of its leadership structure comes after months of negotiations and discussions between the component parties in the Opposition coalition.

Dr Mahathir, the former prime minister of 22 years announced the line-up at a press conference after a Pakatan Harapan presidential council meeting at the PKR headquarters on Thursday night.

The press conference only took place after midnight, three hours after it's initial scheduled time.

Anwar was deputy prime minister under Dr Mahathir, but was sacked by the latter in 1998.

Anwar is currently PKR adviser while Mahathir is Pribumi chairman and Dr Wan Azizah is PKR president.

Pribumi president Muhyiddin, Lim and Mohamad Sabu were named deputy presidents of the coalition.

PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, Pribumi vice-president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, Sarawak DAP chief Chong Chieng Jien and Amanah deputy president Salahuddin Ayub were named the coalition's vice-presidents.

Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah was named secretary-general while M. Kula Segaran the treasurer.

Pakatan Harapan which comprises PKR, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, Amanah and DAP also unveiled its logo at the press conference.

Mahathir said that Pakatan Harapan would finalise other details in its constitution before submitting its registration and logo to the Registrar of Societies (RoS) in one week.