Malaysia: Ruling party pushes Anwar Ibrahim to take over as PM

People's Justice Party leaders have renewed a push for their current President and leader of the Pakatan Harapan coalition, Anwar Ibrahim, on December 8 to take over as the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Yet the current Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad reportedly seems indecisive on the timing of the planned power transition he had promised to his former rival-turned-ally. He had promised to hand over the reins to Anwar, 72, soon after laying the groundwork for a new administration. Mahathir came to power in May 2018,. The Malaysian PM told the media that he needs more time to repair the damage left by the scandal-tainted government of his predecessor, Najib Razak. 

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Anwar told a news conference after PKR's annual congress in Melaka that there had been clarity about the transfer of power except for the timing. He wishes the transition to be smooth and orderly and wishes for an acceptable formula as a remedy for the situation.

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Anwar organises a grand conference

On Sunday, hundreds of delegates reportedly held "Anwar PM-8" placards at the congress. After he was first jailed on what he has said were trumped-up charges of corruption and sodomy, PKR was formed 20 years ago to carry on Anwar's reform agenda. He has been jailed twice, receiving a second sodomy conviction in 2015 and granted a royal pardon last May 2019. He would be the country's eighth PM once he is in power. A fresh sexual assault allegation was imposed on Anwar, which he denied saying that "politics at its worst".

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Adib Zalkapli, a Malaysia director with political risk consultancy Bower Group Asia told the media that the conference was not ordinary as it was an important platform for Anwar to legitimize his position as the successor to Mahathir. Anwar won the party leadership in 2018 and this year he has to show that he is still in control of the party, Adib added.  

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Factions within People's Justice Party

Meanwhile, the People's Justice Party, the largest member of the ruling coalition faces deep-seated factionalism. Anwar's party deputy and perceived rival, Azmin Ali on Saturday, led a walkout after delegates hit out at the president's critics for allegedly trying to destabilize the party and challenge Anwar. Azmin insisted in his statement to the media that their message was for the party to focus on governance and not be hung up on the power transition. He denied assumptions that it was a boycott of the three-day meeting.

(With inputs from agencies)