Political punters and netizens are voicing concerns over the possible change in the nation’s leadership

by TMR / pic by BERNAMA

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s decision to contest the Port Dickson (PD) parliamentary seat has drawn mixed reactions from various parties including within his own party, PKR.

In what has been dubbed as the “PD Move”, the election would pave the way for the former deputy prime minister (DPM) to return to Parliament after a 20-year absence.

Supporters of his return to active politics said the election is to facilitate the PKR president-elect president to succeed Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as the nation’s PM.

Dr Mahathir has said Anwar will succeed him as the next PM, a consensus reached by the Pakatan Harapan alliance before the May 9 general election (GE).

But detractors have questioned the PD Move, while within the party, cracks appeared between the ranks in the party.

PKR secretary general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail had defended the decision to vacate the PD parliamentary seat to make way for Anwar.

He said the decision was made at a party political bureau meeting.

“The meeting is held every Tuesday at 8.30pm. Did we discuss the matter? Yes, and it was decided at the political bureau meeting,” he was reported saying, according to Bernama.

PD MP Datuk Danyal Balagopal Abdullah announced he was giving up the seat to pave the way for Anwar to be elected as an MP on Wednesday. Rumours of Anwar contesting in the popular tourist destination have been swirling since Monday.

Anwar’s wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail who is also the DPM, said her husband who had been jailed for a total of 11 years had been denied the right to represent the people in the Dewan Rakyat.

“For him to return to active politics, this is the path for him to become an MP in the Dewan Rakyat,” she said in Langkawi according to Bernama.

Danyal secured 36,225 votes, defeating Barisan Nasional’s VS Mogan (18,515 votes) and PAS’ Mahfuz Roslan (6,594 votes) in the recent GE.

Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar Aminuddin Harun had also supported the decision.

“I, together with the people of Negri Sembilan, give our full support to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to contest the PD parliamentary seat,” he said in a statement.

Saifuddin had also allayed fears that the move would indicate a faster change of the country’s leadership. Political punters and netizens had voiced concerns over the possible change in the nation’s leadership.

“Anwar has always said, now is the time for the PKR leadership to give full backing and support to Dr Mahathir as PM,” said Saifuddin.

However, PKR Wanita chief Zuraida Kamaruddin had questioned the transparency of the party’s decision-making process over the “PD Move”. — TMR