Anwar: Unity govt will last until next GE

KUALA LUMPUR: The unity government will last until the next general election, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, describing the Opposition’s plot to topple him as a “daydream”.

Anwar said if Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin claimed to have enough statutory declarations (SDs) from MPs backing him as the next prime minister, he could take this to the august House of Parliament.

“If he has it, then, when Parliament sits, he can bring the SDs, it’s not a problem. He says it every week. It’s like his weekly daydream. (He said it) before the fasting month, before Hari Raya Aidilfitri, before Thaipusam, Chinese New Year.

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“God willing, the unity government will remain until the next general election. I’m very confident, otherwise, I wouldn’t say,” he told reporters at the Malaysian Red Crescent headquarters here yesterday.

Anwar had been asked to comment on the rumours that there were enough SDs from MPs backing Hamzah as the next prime minister.

On May 1, it was reported that Anwar did not deny that there was a bid to topple the unity government but said the plot did not have any strong basis and described those behind it as daydreamers.

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On another issue, Anwar reaffirmed the government’s commitment to bringing back fugitive Low Taek Jho to face justice as soon as possible but said that the process has been complicated.

He said that while the government has never confirmed Low’s whereabouts, negotiations have been ongoing with several countries to speed up the process of repatriating Low, who is also known as Jho Low.

“It is negotiated between countries through diplomatic channels.

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“That (bringing back Jho Low) has been our position and we have been very tough on that since day one,” he said.

Anwar added that the process to repatriate Low involved many countries and intelligent services.

He, however, said that countries that the government have been in touch with regarding Low had been giving their support to Malaysia.