Pakatan can still form the govt, announcement Wednesday (Feb 26), says Amanah

PETALING JAYA: Despite the recent exit of 37 MPs from Pakatan Harapan, Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) says the coalition still has sufficient number of MPs to form the government.

“Sufficient, ” said Amanah communications director Khalid Abdul Samad briefly when quizzed by reporters if Pakatan has the support of a simple majority of 112 MPs.

Pressed further by reporters on Tuesday (Feb 25), Khalid merely said “God willing, two-thirds majority is a thing of the past”, before hurrying away to his vehicle.

Khalid was present at the Pakatan presidential council meeting at Merchant Square, which was attended by top leaders from DAP, PKR and Amanah.

Earlier, Khalid described the presidential council meeting as a very good meeting.

“Many things were discussed. Good things.”

Khalid also said there were no discussions among top leaders regarding the probability of a snap elections being held.

“Why should we waste money on fresh polls when we can get a clear (majority), ” he added.

Meanwhile, Amanah deputy president Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub said that Pakatan is set to make an announcement on Wednesday (Feb 26).

“We discussed with the three parties left in Pakatan and we have arrived at a consensus.

“The decision will be made known tomorrow (Wednesday), ” he said.

Pressed if Pakatan has decided its candidate for prime minister, Salahuddin merely said, “PM candidate? Tomorrow."

Talk is rife that the presidential council meeting was held to deliberate a proposal by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to form a unity government will all parties.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, party supremo Lim Kit Siang, Gobind Singh Deo, PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, as well as Amanah president Mohamad Sabu, were among those present in the meeting.

However, after the two-hour meeting, all of the other leaders left without saying a word and no press conference was held.

At present, Pakatan only has 102 MPs, following the exit of Bersatu (26 MPs) and 11 PKR MPs aligned with Datuk Seri Azmin Ali.

On Tuesday (Feb 25), Barisan Nasional and PAS called for Parliament to be dissolved to give way to an election due to the current political uncertainty in the country.