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Malaysia's PM rejects Anwar's demands to convene parliament
Malaysia's Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Thursday rejected opposition demands to recall parliament for a confidence vote, prolonging his grip on power but also a deeply uncertain political environment.
- Agencies
- Published: 10:05 September 19, 2008
Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia's Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Thursday rejected opposition demands to recall parliament for a confidence vote, prolonging his grip on power but also a deeply uncertain political environment.
Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim had called for parliament to be convened by next Tuesday in the hope of ousting Abdullah which would then allow him to form a new government.
Abdullah, who is fighting for his political life after the government that has ruled the country for over 50 years suffered its worst ever election result in March, rebuffed the call to bring parliament back before the end of a recess in mid-October.
Anwar insisted at a press conference earlier that he had won over sufficient MPs from the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition so as to form a new government, but declined to provide names or numbers, saying that would place them at risk.
The date Anwar set to recall parliament is one day before he is due in court on a charge that he sodomised a male aide. He denies the charge and says it is motivated by the government's desire to keep him out of power.
"We must realise this is now a minority government. The majority of MPs are with us now," Anwar told a news conference.
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