PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is unfazed by Perikatan Nasional's (PN) threat to topple his unity government.
"Whatever said by Pas president (Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang), I am confident that this coalition will survive until the end of its term.
"It is nothing more than political rhetoric," he said during an interaction session between him and Malaysian heads of diplomatic missions themed Diplomacy in a Globalised World from the Lens of Malaysia Madani today.
It involved ambassadors, high commissioners, permanent representatives, consuls-general and charge d'affaires ad interim from all 106 Malaysian diplomatic missions abroad.
Also present was Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir.
Anwar said this in response to Hadi, who is PN deputy chairman, that the coalition had the right to continue its plans to topple the unity government.
Hadi said such a plan would be unstoppable as politics was dynamic and it was considered normal in a democratic country.
Earlier, Anwar said Hadi was dreaming to see the current government collapsing but said the latter had the right to hope that his administration would end.
Anwar said his focus now was on the administration's good governance and to make reforms.
"We have to chart a different course. We must do this and effect this change which is extremely necessary to save this country from the mess we have been in," he said.
At the Dewan Rakyat earlier today, Anwar said he made a general ruling on flood mitigation and other projects that all earlier decisions based on negotiated tender must be immediately halted.
The projects, he said, could only proceed if it was deemed necessary or critical but on a fast tracked basis with proper tender.
He questioned why past misconduct practices were tolerated and gone silent for a long time.
"(It was tolerated) Not only by political masters. Where are the professionals? Where are the academicians? Why is this being tolerated for so long?
"The major scandals would not have happened if we had that conscience to voice out and stop it.
"Alhamdulillah, it is not too late but it is critical. So I said, we renegotiate, have a proper tender and virtually in every single exercise, we were able to save hundreds of millions of ringgit," he said.
Meanwhile, Anwar called on the heads of diplomatic missions to do better for the country.
He said it was vital for Malaysian officers and diplomats overseas to set an example on what it meant to be a good competent leader.
"(Show) Why do you serve and observe the principle of good governance where ethics and values are pertinent.
"(It is) Setting the priority right to serve the nation which means you have a duty to encourage people to come as tourists as well as as investors in order to bring light and hope to Malaysians," said Anwar.