Amanah appears split over move to back Anwar as Pakatan's PM candidate

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. -filepic

PETALING JAYA: Parti Amanah Negara leaders appeared split over a decision to support Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as Pakatan Harapan's prime minister candidate.

A leader who spoke on condition of anonymity said the presidential council made the decision without consulting the grassroots.

"We do not know what transpired during the meeting.

"And then there was a joint announcement together with DAP and PKR that they are now supporting Anwar as the prime minister candidate. We are in the dark too," he said.

Another leader said they had no other choice.

"This is for our political survival although many doubt that Anwar could command majority support in Parliament," he said.

He said this in reference to the joint statement issued by Anwar, Amanah president Mohamad Sabu and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng affirming that they were now backing the PKR president as the coalition's prime minister candidate.

Previously, DAP and Amanah had backed a proposal for Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to return as the premier for the third time.

According to the proposal, Anwar would be made deputy prime minister and succeed Dr Mahathir in six months.

However, PKR was adamant that Anwar be named as the prime minister candidate.

Dr Mahathir then proposed Shafie as the prime minister candidate in a bid to end the deadlock, and presumably to garner support from Sabah and Sarawak parliamentarians.

The presidential council said in a statement that they had given Anwar the "full mandate" to continue discussions with all parties, including Shafie, in their bid to return to power.

Perikatan Nasional came to power in March following the collapse of the Pakatan government after then premier Dr Mahathir tendered his resignation in the wake of persistent pressure to hand over the reins to Anwar.

Amanah secretary-general Datuk Dr Hatta Ramli, however, denied that they had made a U-turn to support Anwar as the prime minister candidate.

"We have always supported Anwar as the prime minister candidate. The question of U-turn should not arise," said Dr Hatta.

Asked if Anwar could command the support of majority parliamentarians, Dr Hatta said "Wait and watch".