Harapan not against reshuffle, Anwar says he has not applied

Pakatan Harapan leaders today agreed for the cabinet reshuffle to take place following the coalition's crushing defeat at Tanjung Piai by-election last weekend.

This was told by the Harapan presidential council chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad after the party's presidential council meeting at the Yayasan Leadership Foundation in Putrajaya today.

Asked about the overall sentiment about the cabinet reshuffle, Mahathir said: "they are not against it, they didn't say 'please don't reshuffle me'."

PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, who sat next to Mahathir, was heard adding "I did not apply (for ministerial position).

However, Mahathir said he hasn't made a decision on whether to even do a re-shuffle or to include Anwar in the cabinet.

"Anything is possible," he said.

Last Wednesday, Mahathir revealed about the plan to have a cabinet reshuffle and that it might take place before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit to be hosted by Malaysia in November next year.

The Prime Minister said that they have discussed and identified on the causes which brought to the defeat in Tanjung Piai and the issues were discussed amicably among the leaders.

"I explained the problems that we face..that we are not free to do anything we like. We have to understand the sentiment expressed by people.

"We have to remember that we are the government of five parties and that it's not easy to change the government," he said.

Meanwhile, Mahathir has urged Harapan members to settle their problems internally.

"We've asked them, if there are any problems, voice it in their respective party committees or the Harapan presidential council, so that it doesn't create the perception that we are not united," he said.

He did not make any specific references, but some Harapan parties have been at loggerheads.

PKR, especially, is struggling with in-fighting between Anwar's faction and PKR deputy president Azmin Ali's camp. 

Mahathir said that everyone in the meeting admitted to their mistakes and the leaders shared a lot of ideas and advice on the government's plans and initiatives.

He said that the people's sentiments have to be taken into account.

"If they point out that we have not done anything, we will correct that. If they point out that we must reshuffle, we will also consider," he added.

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