Anwar cries foul as Malaysian parties discuss sweeping coalition change
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s would-be leader Anwar Ibrahim on Sunday accused 94-year-old Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad’s party and “traitors” in his own camp of plotting a wholesale change in the ruling coalition that could ultimately deny him the premiership.
After being promised that he would one day become prime minister, Anwar allied with former rival Mahathir to win a surprise victory in the 2018 general election and end the six-decade grip of a party accused of widespread corruption.
But on Sunday politicians from the coalition held talks at a hotel near Kuala Lumpur on a possible new alliance with members of the ousted former ruling party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), political sources said.
“We know there are attempts to bring down PH and form a new government,” Anwar said, referring to the Pakatan Harapan (Alliance of Hope) coalition that he helped form under Mahathir, who leads the Bersatu party. - Reuters