Anwar: Want to challenge govt, do it in Parliament

BUKIT MERTAJAM - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that if the opposition wanted to challenge the government's administration, they should bring a motion on the matter to Parliament.

Anwar said that he is not like the previous prime minister, who chose to declare a state of emergency and postpone the parliamentary session. Instead, he is ready to face the opposition in Parliament to see who has the numbers.

"If you want to mount a challenge, then do it in Parliament in May...I am confident with the numbers...we will still have 148 Members of Parliament.

"I am ready to fight in Parliament if the opposition really has the numbers,” he said in his speech at the Malaysia MADANI Aidilfitri open house, here today.

He was commenting on rumours that Perikatan Nasional (PN) secretary-general, Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, has enough statutory declarations (SDs) backing him to become the new prime minister.

Anwar, who is also the Minister of Finance, asked those who claimed to have enough SDs to take over the position of prime minister to bring a motion to the next Parliament session.

"Bring the motion to Parliament, I will not hesitate to present a motion of no confidence and I will face all honourable Members (of Parliament) to resolve this issue.

"However, with one condition, let this be the final episode, so that we can focus on the development of the country,” he said.

Meanwhile, Anwar said that in the past few months, the country's revenue has increased due to investors' confidence in the leadership and a stable unity government.

"Don't sabotage the Unity Government...we have given space, don't try to interfere with the administration now...if they refuse to stop, we will act accordingly without compromise,” he said.

He explained that what the current leadership is doing is to stop leadership misconduct and corruption, and use of profits of family members in the previous government.

Earlier, Yang Di-Pertua Negeri of Penang Tun Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak and his wife Toh Puan Khadijatul Mohd Nor attended the open house.

Also present were the Prime Minister's wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail; Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi; Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook; Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek; Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamed Sabu. - BERNAMA