Veena Babulal and Rizanizam Abdul Hamid
PORT DICKSON: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is the best man to lead Malaysia.
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, sharing the same ceramah stage with Dr Mahathir for the first time in 20 years, said his one time boss turned arch nemesis and now political ally, was the best person to clean up the rot left behind by the former Barisan Nasional government led by Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
The Pakatan Harapan Port Dickson by-election candidate, who is widely expected to replace Dr Mahathir as prime minister, said besides issues related to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), “every institution” left behind by the previous administration “was in question”.
He said the judiciary, the civil service and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) all had to be set back on track.
“I say it with all humility. I love him as a father and I even fought him. In such conditions, he is the best man to lead Malaysia,” he said at a “mega ceramah” featuring many Pakatan Harapan leaders, headlined by Anwar and Dr Mahathir, ahead of polling day this Saturday.
Anwar, who was sacked by Dr Mahathir in the late 1990s when he was deputy prime minister, said he was moved by the statesman’s peace offering during a court hearing some years ago.
“I was moved that a statesman could let go of everything in the past for a greater cause to save Malaysia. Not many have the calibre of Dr Mahathir.
“Malaysians are lucky to have gotten him once more to save the country. He changed the political landscape of Malaysia and he has served Malaysians because he rewrote history,” he added.
Anwar, meanwhile, reiterated that their combination was indeed historical.
Dr Mahathir has laid to rest rumours of him and his former deputy prime minister not seeing eye to eye by turning up at the event.
Anwar said the love Dr Mahathir had for him has “somewhat returned”.
More than 5,000 people turned up in force at the event at the PD Waterfront, many with their families in tow, despite the rain.
A canopy provided shelter from the raid for some, but many stood under umbrellas, or nothing at all, to hear the ceramah.
Excitement has been building since Dr Mahathir announced on Friday that he would be descending on the town to campaign, though he had earlier said he would not be doing so.
Those present included outgoing PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, its secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, Parti Amanah Negara president Mohamad Sabu and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.
State representatives present included Menteri Besar and Negri Sembilan Pakatan Harapan chairman Aminuddin Harun and state PAN and DAP chiefs, Zulkefly Mohamad Omar and Anthony Loke respectively.
The Port Dickson by-election on Oct 13 sees a seven-cornered fight.
Anwar faces Pas candidate Lieutenant-Colonel (Rtd) Mohd Nazari Mokhtar and five other independent candidates — former Negri Sembilan menteri besar Tan Sri Isa Abdul Samad, Anwar’s former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, Stevie Chan Keng Leong, Lau Seck Yan and Kan Chee Yuen.
Early voting starts tomorrow.