Anwar: We have the numbers

Monday September 15, 2008 MYT 11:29:04 PM

PETALING JAYA: Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim once again claimed that Pakatan Rakyat "has the numbers" and is ready to take over the Federal Government on Tuesday, Sept 16.

He added that Sept 16 will mark a “clear and concrete movement towards a change in the Federal Government.”

At a Pakatan Rakyat gathering to commemorate the 45th Malaysia Day at the Kelana Jaya stadium here on Monday night, he urged his supporters to have faith.

PKR treasurer and Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang, and DAP secretary general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng were among those who attended the gathering.

Thousands of supporters had packed the stadium, shouting “Reformasi” and issuing challenges to the ruling Barisan government.

Anwar had previously announced that he had sufficient numbers of Barisan Nasional Members of Parliament who were going to cross over to the opposition alliance for him to form a new government on Tuesday, Sept 16.

But sodomy allegations, a hastily-arranged overseas trip by Barisan backbenchers and a crackdown using the Internal Security Act had threatened to put the brakes on the PKR adviser’s takeover plans.

Earlier, DAP’s Lim Kit Siang said that six months ago, the idea of taking over the government would have been unthinkable.

“But now the people believe ... it’s not when 916 (or Sept 16) will happen, but the fact that Pakatan can actually topple the government,” he said, adding that the ISA arrests of an online portal editor, an MP and a journalist had pipped things to the opposition alliance’s favour.

PAS secretary-general Kamaruddin Jaafar went so far as to say that the new “Pakatan federal government” will include Barisan members who have rejected their component parties.

The other leaders also spoke about the use of the ISA against civilians, with Selangor’s Khalid saying that the state government would work to release all detainees.

Penang’s Lim Guan Eng urged other Barisan leaders to follow the example of de facto Law Minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim and resign if they too objected to the use of the ISA.

He also applauded Zaid for being “the first Barisan leader to quit for his principles and idealism.”