The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 23 — Pakatan Rakyat is not in a hurry anymore to take over the federal government, according to opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Amid rising confidence from the Barisan Nasional that the takeover threat from PR is diminishing, Anwar said he would not focus on the element of surprise in the attempt to take power.

“We are not in a terrible hurry. In the current economic downturn we want to engage the government to take the right measures,” Anwar said.

“We are exploring the possibilities with respect to the constitutional process. We are working on it and we need the element of surprise,” he said to explain a lack of any further details.

Anwar, who has missed several deadlines to unseat the government, said in an interview with Bloomberg yesterday that he is running out of options to replace the ruling coalition.

Seven months after reducing the Barisan Nasional’s majority in Parliament in the March general election, he has failed to get BN lawmakers to cross over to the opposition and to table a vote of no confidence in Parliament against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

The premier's response has been to accelerate a power handover to his deputy Datuk Seri Najib Razak, according to Bloomberg.

“I’m not saying we have no options left, but I’m saying it’s getting to be much more difficult,” Anwar said in the interview.

However, the former Deputy Prime Minister today rejected the idea that BN was re-establishing itself with the promise of Najib’s leadership after the Umno party polls in March.

“What makes you think they are more supportive of Najib than Abdullah?” was Anwar’s retort.

“To suggest Najib has consolidated his position is an exaggeration. Maybe within Umno but not BN and certainly not with the rakyat.

“This is the first time in history that a Prime Minister-designate is being hounded and haunted by such serious allegations which have gone unanswered.”

Najib has spent the past week fighting off a series of allegations, from his alleged involvement in the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial to improprieties in the proposed procurement of helicopters for the Malaysian Armed Forces.

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