‘No crossover even if Anwar wins by-election’

Sunday, August 24th, 2008

‘No crossover even if Anwar wins by-election’
By Zora Chan

KUCHING: No Barisan Nasional (BN) members of parliament from Sarawak will cross over to Pakatan Rakyat (PR) even if Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim wins in the Permatang Pauh by-election on Tuesday.

Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) deputy president Dato Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg on Friday rubbished talks that MPs from the state would cross over if Anwar won the by-election.

He said Sarawakian MPs would remain loyal to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who is also Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman.

“No such thing,” he told reporters after attending Kuching North City Commission’s (DBKU) anniversary dinner Friday.

BN’s Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah faces Anwar and Angkatan Keadilan Islam Malaysia’s (Akim) Hanafi Mamat in the by-election.

Johari who had just returned from campaigning in Permatang Pauh said Anwar’s hope to form a new government under Pakatan Rakyat (PR) would never materialise.

He said Abdullah already had a stable government with a 58-seat majority after the March 8 polls.

He said should 30 MPs from Sarawak and Sabah cross over to PR as Anwar had hoped, it would mean that it (PR) only had one seat majority in the new, albeit unstable, government.

PR only has to have 112 MPs to form a government with a simple majority.

“This will send a bad signal to the world,” he said, adding that Anwar’s hope would not materialise.

He added that Sarawakians were wise and knew their mathematics well enough not to risk their future in a weak government.

When asked on BN’s chances in Permatang Pauh, Johari said current situation seemed favourable to the BN because of an apparent shift in the voters’ sentiment after the March 8 polls.

“The BN however still has to work hard. We’re still the underdog but there’s a shift among voters.”