The Malaysian Insight

ANTHONY Loke’s suggestion that Pakatan Harapan (PH) should consider a new prime ministerial candidate to replace Anwar Ibrahim is the DAP national organising secretary’s own opinion and does not represent that of the coalition, Fahmi Fadzil said.

The PKR communications director said while Loke is entitled to his opinion, such decisions are the PH presidential council’s to make.

“It’s okay, (Loke’s opinion) is not an issue. Ultimately the decision will be made by the PH presidential council,” Fahmi, who is the Lembah Pantai MP, told The Malaysian Insight.

So far, the matter of a new prime ministerial candidate has not been discussed at that level, he added. At this time, he said PH is focused on the December 18 Sarawak elections.

Fahmi said PH has to tread carefully on the matter as the opposition coalition has “enemies” who want its chairman and PKR president Anwar out of the way.

“Right now, when it comes to our leadership, our political nemesis wants the complete removal of Anwar. We have to be cautious.

“If there are decisions to be made, we must re-strategise and reconsider how we approach the 15th general election given what has taken place in Malacca,” Fahmi said, referring to PKR’s dismal performance in losing all the seats it contested. 

This has led to calls for Anwar to step down. The Port Dickson MP has also had to defend PH’s decision to allow two of the Malacca assemblymen, who had caused the collapse of the state government by their defections, to contest on the coalition’s ticket. The two lost.

PH fielded candidates in all 28 seats but won only five. PKR lost all 11 seats it contested, DAP won four, and Amanah, one.

Barisan Nasional (BN) secured a comfortable 21 seats (75%) while Perikatan Nasional bagged two.

Loke, in an interview with The Malaysian Insight, said PH must no longer depend on Anwar Ibrahim as its candidate for the prime minister’s after the losses it suffered in the Malacca elections.

He was repeating what he had said on a Chinese television programme with political analysts last week.

Pahang DAP secretary Lee Chin Chen had similarly asked PH to look for a new prime ministerial candidate to replace Anwar, who is 74.

In the 2018 general election, PH parties had agreed that Anwar would be in line to succeed Dr Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister. 

Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah said the coalition should stand by what has been agreed upon or risk confusing the voters.

“We should go by what PH has agreed upon otherwise it will be very confusing. When we started, Anwar was named the leader so we should stick to it,” she said.

Instead of harping on who should be prime minister, PH should pay attention to its future, she said.

“What is most important is that we must have a direction for where it is going. Now is the time we need to come together with other opposition to see how we can work together.” – November 28, 2021.