By IANS,
Kuala Lumpur : Malaysia’s parliamentary opposition alliance has claimed it already has the numbers to form the government and will do so by Malaysia Day, Sep 16.
Former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim, who leads an 82-strong political alliance called Pakatan Rakyat (PR), said he was “not in a hurry” to topple the government of Prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
He would choose his own timing, media reports Thursday quoted Ibrahim as saying.
“God willing, we will be there. If not next month, the following month, then if not June or July, (it will be) on Merdeka (Aug 31) or Malaysia Day. I think we should not go beyond that,” he told reporters in Sabah.
Badawi and the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN) have ridiculed Ibrahim’s claims.
Ibrahim has also alleged that his movements were being monitored, particularly his asking BN lawmakers to change sides.
“They are using threats and intimidation. I am, for example, being monitored more closely now,” the Star newspaper quoted Ibrahim.
He insisted that he was not offering money or positions to lure ruling alliance lawmakers.
He claimed that some BN members from Sarawak and Sabah states had given their commitment to join the opposition alliance, adding that he had his own ways of discussing with them.
“My discussions could be done in Singapore, Abu Dhabi and Hong Kong although it might sound like a joke,” said Ibrahim.
He said the Pakatan was ready to align with political parties that are BN constituents if they subscribed to the opposition coalition agenda.