PKR remains optimistic that despite the recent spat between DAP and PAS, it is able to mobilise supporters for Anwar Ibrahim's court case on Feb 10.

PKR is planning to mobilise at least 2,000 supporters and members from Penang alone to go to Putrajaya in support of the party's de facto leader.

The party's national deputy youth chief, Dr Afif Bahardin ( right ), said that Pakatan leaders on the ground are in solidarity with Anwar, who faces a five-year jail sentence for his Sodomy II case.

Anwar - who is also the Permatang Pauh MP - returns to the Federal Court next week to hear its decision on whether to uphold the Court of Appeal's judgment which convicted Anwar of Sodomy II.

"In all our ceramah, DAP and PAS leaders have come together to speak for Anwar, and so have their supporters," Afif told Malaysiakini after a press conference to announce the Jelajah Rakyat Hakim Negara programme in support of Anwar on Feb 7 in Penang.

"The Pakatan leadership council meeting on Feb 8 is a good development and we hope after this, party leaders will not wash their dirty linen in public (any longer)," he added.

Afif  - who is also the Seberang Jaya assemblyperson - said Pakatan needs to remain united, as the people want an alternative to the current ruling BN regime.

'Our formula still works'

He noted that Pakatan's multi-racial and religious formula has been tested since 1999, when the three allies - DAP, PAS and PKR - united under the loosely formed Barisan Alternatif.

"This formula still works. It will not break apart just because of some leaders’ remarks against one another.

"Unlike BN, we are an open and democratic coalition which allows views to be expressed, but please do it professionally and ethically," the Penang executive councillor stressed.

Pakatan threatened to split following several disagreements between DAP and PAS - including the latter's insistence to implement the hudud law in Kelantan by proposing a Private Member’s Bill on the matter in Parliament last September.

Pakatan's unity was once again tested when PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang openly opposed PKR's decision to field its president, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail ( left ), as the Selangor menteri besar to replace Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

DAP and PAS have been at loggerheads over the issue of local government elections when Hadi remarked that the model DAP pursued in Penang could lead to racial riots similar to the May 13, 1969 incident.

Pakatan leaders are expected to finally meet on Feb 8 at PAS headquarters in Kuala Lumpur - after delaying their meeting since GE13 - to iron out these issues.

Meanwhile, the programme on Saturday features Anwar in several sessions - from 4.30pm to 8.30pm - where he is scheduled to meet supporters in Batu Uban, attend prayers at the Seberang Jaya mosque and speak at a grand ceramah in Ampang Jajar.

Other speakers who are expected to speak at the ceramah include DAP secretary-general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu and several NGO representatives.

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