By Kevin Tan The Edge Daily
PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Rakyat de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is expected to become the prime minister if the opposition coalition takes over the government, said he will resign if he fails to reduce pump prices of petrol.
“As soon as Pakatan Rakyat forms the government, oil prices will be reduced. I will resign if oil prices are not reduced,” he told a press conference at Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s (PKR) new headquarters here yesterday.
Anwar said Pakatan was committed to reduce the pump prices of petrol and would announce the mechanism to reduce the prices at the appropriate time. “I have no qualms (on reducing petrol prices). It is not an irresponsible statement as alleged,” he added.
He said the coalition would still reduce the pump prices of petrol even if the price of crude oil went above US$200 (RM650) per barrel. However, Anwar said he understood concerns of fund managers and economists about macroeconomic stability and the principle of subsidy reduction.
“I am a firm believer of market economy and I don’t believe that a huge subsidy will be sustainable in the long term but I am also a humanist,” he said.
He added that the income of common people might not increase even though Malaysia would amass the equivalent amount from its crude oil export when prices shot up to US$200 per barrel.
Anwar also hit out at the fact that the government could offer “incentives” to independent power producers (IPPs) while removing subsidies for the common people.
“You must support market economy but must temper it with a strong increase in welfare for the people and social justice. Otherwise, the economy cannot be sustainable,” he said.
Earlier, Anwar announced that Pakatan leaders from PKR, DAP and PAS would meet today to discuss the next course of action in response to the hike in fuel prices.
He said Pakatan-controlled state governments were urged to take whatever actions they could to show that they were aware and concerned about the hardship faced by the people.
On the claim that Pakatan would take over the government by Sept 16 this year as it already had more than 30 Barisan Nasional (BN) members of parliament who were willing cross over to the coalition, Anwar said it was on schedule and it had become more attractive following the fuel price hike.
“Under normal circumstances, we don’t encourage crossovers but only when they have absolutely no confidence in the Umno-led BN and the way they manage the economy.
“They are in a state of denial. They are refusing to recognise certain development and macroeconomic realities,” he said, adding there was no moral basis to support the leadership that had failed the nation.
Asked when he would announce the crossovers, Anwar said he had to deliberate the matter at length with other Pakatan leaders.
He explained that Pakatan had to do it cautiously as the current system in the country was still “quite repressive” and those from BN who wanted to discuss the matter had to quietly fly to the capital of neighbouring countries just to convey their message to him.
Anwar said he would not be involved in the undertaking without confidence but he also needed to protect his friends in the BN.
He also dismissed the notion that those who cross over would not sit comfortably with some leaders in Pakatan.
“They accept the fact and will consider the application of anyone who subscribes to the objectives of Pakatan, multiracial agenda with constitutional guarantees and the New Economic Agenda,” he said, adding that Pakatan would consider those who accepted these as part of the team.
On DAP chairman Karpal Singh’s remark that he had no confidence in those who cross over, Anwar said Karpal’s statement had been taken out of context.
“He is concerned, and I share his concern, if the arrangement is politically expedient and not talking in terms of the agenda. If the agenda is accepted, the people can accept the fact that this is the Pakatan Rakyat agenda and policies, he doesn’t have problem with that,” he added.
Asked what if those who were supposed to cross over did not do so by the deadline, Anwar said: “Why are you so pessimistic? I will say what will be will be. Que sera sera.”
He explained that Pakatan needed to be cautious on the matter as there was a racist agenda to thwart the plan by suggesting that there would be a shift of power from the Malays to non-Malays, which he described as a flawed argument with malicious intent.
Although he would not risk political stability, Anwar said it was not an excuse to continue with the present system.
On his trip to Manila, Anwar said he met Filipino leaders such as former presidents Cory Aquino, Fidel Ramos and Joseph Estrada. He also revealed that he met some members of parliament from Sabah and Sarawak.
When asked why Utusan Malaysia was barred from Pakatan’s press conference, Anwar said it had to bar the newspaper as it was allegedly playing a racist agenda and had a blatant disregard for ethics.
“I am not suggesting that the other media is completely free from that but they have gone to the extreme on this,” he added.
On why Pakatan did not sue Utusan Malaysia, he quipped: “In which court? In (Datuk) VK Lingam’s court?”
Anwar also announced the appointment of new supreme council members for PKR and accepted new members into the party yesterday.
He revealed that PKR headquarters had accepted 50,000 new membership applications, including many from BN, over the past three months.
“We are asking that the membership forms that are still with the state offices to submit them as soon as possible,” he said.
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