PM: State polls results won’t affect stability of federal govt

While the six upcoming state polls are deemed as the first crucial test of Anwar Ibrahim’s performance, the prime minister said the outcome of the elections would not affect the stability of the federal administration.

In an interview with Al-Jazeera English’s ‘101 East’ programme, Anwar was asked if there were concerns that Perikatan Nasional would push for a vote of no-confidence if the opposition succeeds in staging an upset in the looming state elections.

“They can put some pressure, but they will not, in any way, affect the position of the federal government,” he said.

Six states due to hold elections this year are Pakatan Harapan-held Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan as well as PAS-ruled Kedah, Terengganu and Kelantan.

Meanwhile, opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin, who was also featured in the documentary titled “From Prison to Prime Minister: Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim”, predicted that PN will “win big” in the state elections.

“The people are still with us, and they don't believe that this current government can manage and… maybe they are just waiting for us to take over,” he said.

Hamzah, who is also Bersatu secretary-general, asserted that PN would be “left with no choice but to take over” if Anwar-led Harapan and its allies fail to manage the current government.

He said this in response to whether he would be content to wait another four to five years to go back to the people for a mandate during the next general election.

“They (Anwar’s administration) don’t have priority at the moment, they just want to condemn the opposition.”

‘Minority forces’

In response, Anwar said there are some “minority forces” - those on corruption trials - who would do anything in a bid to “save themselves”.

“But there are no serious challengers right now. We have a two-thirds majority,” he stressed.

PN chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin is facing four abuse of power charges and three money laundering counts involving over RM232 million. He claimed trial for all seven charges.

All the charges were related to the Jana Wibawa programme, which was introduced in 2020 when he helmed the government. It was aimed at helping bumiputera businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Other PN leaders have also been charged with corruption involving the Muhyiddin-era Jana Wibawa programme, including former Bersatu information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan and its Segambut deputy chief Adam Radlan Adam Muhammad.

State polls: Applications for postal voting open from June 15

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