KUALA LUMPUR: Incoming PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said he was geared up to return to parliament as early as next month, before the tabling of the national budget on Nov 2, to contribute towards parliamentary reform.
This, as he prepares to contest in Port Dickson after the parliamentary seat's incumbent Datuk Danyal Balagopal Abdullah earlier announced his resignation to pave way for a by-election.
Anwar, in an interview with Channel News Asia, added that it was too early to talk about when and how exactly the power transition between him and Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad will take place as his focus now was to support the prime minister and help him effect change and reform for a new Malaysia.
“Although I’m leading a party with significant numbers of MPs in parliament, but my position is very clear. You have the prime minister, you should give the support, you give the latitude and we give him the undertaking that the entire party and the machinery are with him in effecting reforms," said Anwar.
Asked if his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail will step down as Deputy Prime Minister and who will replace her when he takes over the premiership, Anwar said:
"It's for the MPs to recommend, for the parties to decide. I should not pre-empt that. There is of course a broad understanding but only in terms of my position. There’s no insistence or even lobbies for the next person to be deputy prime minister."
Anwar also said that he does not rule out a Cabinet reshuffle when he comes on board, adding that he will decide based on the performance of the existing Cabinet ministers appointed by Dr Mahathir.
"I think the option is always given to the new leader to decide. I have not thought about it yet; it all depends, because they have one, one-and-a-half years to prove themselves. If they are effective, they should continue. If they are mediocre or lacking in expertise or their performance is poor, naturally we have to revise. I mean that is expected."
On Dr Mahathir’s move to cancel several infrastructure projects with Chinese state-owned enterprises, Anwar said that he was in full support of the prime minister’s decisions.
The projects, he said, warranted a review because of two reasons.
"(Malaysia's) financial condition doesn’t warrant us to embark on a massive mega project," said Anwar.
"Number two, it’s not a matter of Chinese investment, it’s what we suspect as dubious deals within the former administration and specific companies. What needs to happen is for example, scrap then relook at it. If it is deemed to be important infrastructure then this can be considered later. But Mahathir made the right decision, giving the right signal," he added.
With Singapore, he said, deferring the multi-billion-dollar KL-Singapore High-Speed Rail was necessary given the country’s financial constraints.
He said that he had met Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong during his recent visit to Singapore, and that they understood Malaysia’s position.
He also said that he has assured Singapore's leaders that Malaysia will strive for better bilateral relations under the new Pakatan Harapan government.
"I've given categorical assurance that nothing will stop us in trying, attempting to forge sound, effective, better relations with Singapore. There are of course some serious contentious issues that must be dealt with, but notwithstanding that, the trade, investments, bilateral relations must continue."