Anwar gets Umno veterans as he clears name with diplomats

KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 — Former Information Minister Datuk Fauzi Abdul Rahman is bringing two former senior Umno leaders to join Parti Keadilan Rakyat tomorrow, the first of crossovers promised by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The opposition leader is set to announce the crossover tomorrow, a day after he briefed mostly western diplomats about the "political conspiracy" to stop him from becoming Malaysia's sixth Prime Minister.

Fauzi is the former Kuantan MP and Beserah state assemblyman in Pahang. His entry into PKR is not a surprise among party supporters as he had been seen with Anwar during the opposition leader's visit to Pahang recently.

Fauzi's son Mohd Farhan is also the founder member of the Anwar Ibrahim Club.

Early this month, rumours were rife about Umno leaders from Pahang — Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Deputy Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah — joining Anwar's party. Both denied the rumours.

Apart from Fauzi, former MCA central committee member Datin Paduka Dr Tan Yee Kew, who quit the party last Thursday, is also expected to join PKR.

So far no serving Barisan Nasional legislators, either at the state assembly or Parliament, has joined PKR after the March 8 general election.

Anwar has set Sept 16 for BN MPs to jump over to his Pakatan Rakyat side, to enable formation of a new federal government.

The former deputy prime minister spoke to diplomats at the PKR head office in Tropicana to clear his name over fresh allegations of sodomy, a repeat of events 10 years ago that stopped him from succeeding former mentor Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Dr Mahathir is convinced that Anwar is guilty of sexual misconduct, saying no government is stupid to rehash the same allegations.

Anwar is also under pressure to make good his prediction as ally PAS has confirmed its leaders have met Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for talks on Islam and Malay unity, apparently due to unease with the multi-racial approach of the Pakatan Rakyat coalition cobbled after the March 8 election.

Sumber: The Malaysian Insider