‘It’s just big talk, so let Permatang Pauh MP brag about taking over federal government’

KUCHING: Anwar was only bragging.

This was the comment of Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud on Permatang Pauh MP Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s claims of taking over the federal government on Sept 16 and becoming the prime minister.

“Let him continue to brag. The word is ‘brag’,” he told the press after the launch of the book ‘Constitutional Federalism in Malaysia’ by JC Fong at the State Library in Petra Jaya here yesterday.

With that statement, Taib appeared to have implied that Anwar’s claims of getting more than 30 Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs to cross over to the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) alliance was far-fetched.

Anwar’s claim has been described as nothing more than ‘big talk’ in Sarawak.

Malaysian opposition leader Anwar regained his seat in parliament after his landslide victory in the Permatang Pauh (in Penang) by-election on Tuesday.

He won after obtaining 31,195 votes while his opponent, BN’s Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah garnered 15,524 and independent Hanafi Mamat of Akim, 92 votes.

Hanafi lost his deposit.

Taib, also State BN chairman, was not the only state leader who slammed Anwar for his claims of becoming prime minister by Sept 16.

On Wednesday, Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) deputy secretary-general Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh described Anwar’s claims as an ‘impossible task’ that can only ‘destabilise’ the country.

Wong, who is also Second Finance Minister, said instead of making such claims, it would be better for Anwar to focus on governing the five states controlled by the opposition alliance, Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

He said Anwar’s claim was far fetched and creating an atmosphere of uncertainty about the country that would affect it negatively.

Other state leaders slammed Anwar’s big ambition by denying that there would be no “frogs” among Sarawak’s 30 BN MPs.

After the March 9 2008 polls, the BN government has 140 MPs against PR’s 82.

If Anwar were to tackle the government, he would need at least 31 BN MPs to cross over.

When officiating at the book launch yesterday, Taib said it was important for the federal leadership to be sufficiently strong otherwise it would be impossible to work out a harmonious social and cultural policy for the whole of Malaysia.

It also needed to be stronger to harness all the resources and work out the valuation before giving attention to overall development, he added.

On another topic Taib said neighbouring Brunei had indicated its intention to invest in the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE).

“A very serious interest actually and one which would enable us to get much greater cooperation in three core areas. I can only come up with the details later,” he said after a high tea following the book launch yesterday.

He said apart from Brunei, other countries like China, Japan, Australia as well as countries from the Middle East had indicated their interest to invest or participate in the 10 listed core industries within SCORE.

Taib said even the halal hub will be a major industry within SCORE.