Anwar says he will be PM within three years
KUALA LUMPUR - OPPOSITION leader Anwar Ibrahim yesterday predicted he would be prime minister within three years, sketching out the first rough timetable for his dramatic political comeback.
'I do not think we have established a definite, clear time-frame when I will take over, but it certainly would not reach three years...much earlier than that,' he said confidently in an interview with AFP. 'I am not in a rush.'
It was the strongest statement of intent so far from Datuk Seri Anwar, who has, up to now, been saying he is in no hurry to take control of the government in the wake of large gains made by the opposition in last month's polls.
Becoming premier would require the de facto leader of the opposition Pakatan Rakyat alliance to enter Parliament, which he is expected to do through a by-election for one of the seats held by his party, Parti Keadilan Rakvat (PKR). The other two alliance members are the Democratic Action Party and Parti Islam SeMalaysia.
Yesterday, Datuk Seri Anwar told AP that as prime minister, he would clean up corruption and put an end to the detention of people without trial.
He also said he would be a better premier than Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi and his predecessor Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
'Well, I would not detain people without trial,' he said, referring to the Internal Security Act. 'I will check corruption for sure.
'With the little experience I have (in the government), I believe I can do much better. But it is for people to judge.'
He also spoke about the need to 'change the course' of the country, listing economic competitiveness, promoting a market economy, social justice and training of manpower as the main tasks.
The former deputy premier was sacked in 1998 in a power struggle, but has returned to politics to stitch together an opposition alliance that now needs just 30 defections from the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition to form a simple majority in the 222-seat Parliament.
He has said he 'has the numbers', but would rather wait for 'a comfortable majority'.
He told reporters in Kota Kinabalu yesterday that some BN Members of Parliament in Sabah had already decided to join Pakatan Rakyat, and were waiting for the right time to do so.
He claimed that if they did not join next month, it could be in the following month, or even on Aug 31, Merdeka Day.
'But I think we should not exceed beyond that,' he was quoted as saying.
ASSOCIATED PRESS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, BERNAMA
'I do not think we have established a definite, clear time-frame when I will take over, but it certainly would not reach three years...much earlier than that,' he said confidently in an interview with AFP. 'I am not in a rush.'
It was the strongest statement of intent so far from Datuk Seri Anwar, who has, up to now, been saying he is in no hurry to take control of the government in the wake of large gains made by the opposition in last month's polls.
Becoming premier would require the de facto leader of the opposition Pakatan Rakyat alliance to enter Parliament, which he is expected to do through a by-election for one of the seats held by his party, Parti Keadilan Rakvat (PKR). The other two alliance members are the Democratic Action Party and Parti Islam SeMalaysia.
Yesterday, Datuk Seri Anwar told AP that as prime minister, he would clean up corruption and put an end to the detention of people without trial.
He also said he would be a better premier than Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi and his predecessor Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
'Well, I would not detain people without trial,' he said, referring to the Internal Security Act. 'I will check corruption for sure.
'With the little experience I have (in the government), I believe I can do much better. But it is for people to judge.'
He also spoke about the need to 'change the course' of the country, listing economic competitiveness, promoting a market economy, social justice and training of manpower as the main tasks.
The former deputy premier was sacked in 1998 in a power struggle, but has returned to politics to stitch together an opposition alliance that now needs just 30 defections from the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition to form a simple majority in the 222-seat Parliament.
He has said he 'has the numbers', but would rather wait for 'a comfortable majority'.
He told reporters in Kota Kinabalu yesterday that some BN Members of Parliament in Sabah had already decided to join Pakatan Rakyat, and were waiting for the right time to do so.
He claimed that if they did not join next month, it could be in the following month, or even on Aug 31, Merdeka Day.
'But I think we should not exceed beyond that,' he was quoted as saying.
ASSOCIATED PRESS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, BERNAMA
posted by huZmid at 8:08 PM
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