Give Perlis time to sort out impasse: Anwar

BUKIT MERTAJAM: PKR founder Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has pleaded for all parties to be patient when dealing with the political impasse over the appointment of the mentri besar for Perlis.
The impasse or a power struggle between factions in Barisan Nasional (Umno), which has resulted in a tiff with the state palace has reached its 15th day of uncertainty.
Anwar said that some countries took weeks and months to form a government, hence such delicate arrangements need time to see its fruition.
Speaking after meeting Penang PKR elected representatives at Yayasan Aman here, Anwar, who was making his maiden appearance in his hometown of Permatang Pauh here since 2015, said Belgium took a few months before it could form a government.
"So in Malaysia, we are fortunate; the various parties have formed a government at the federal level and all states. It is only in Perlis that we have a difficulty. But give it time, there needs to be close negotiations."
Anwar said that PKR and its coalition partners in Pakatan Harapan will respect the royal institution when it comes to forming the government.
The deadlock in Perlis has emerged after the Perlis Umno liaison chairperson Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim and nine other Umno elected representatives refused to accept the selection of Bintong assemblyperson Datuk Seri Azlan Man as the new mentri besar.
Azlan was sworn - in before the Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Syed Jamalullail at Istana Arau on Thursday but two hours later, Shahidan had proposed that Azlan be sacked from Umno for disobeying the party.
Azlan apparently took his oath without receiving a legal tender letter (watikah) as the mentri besar from the Umno leadership.
In another matter, Anwar urged the DAP-led state government to liaise with the PKR counterparts in Penang to focus more on poverty eradication.
He said that the Pakatan government needs to focus on the B40 (low income group segment) as part of their commitments to the people.
"I think if we address the plight of the low income, we should be okay here."
He said that he will convey his wishes to the new Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow when he meets him at another time.
Later, Anwar would deliver his maiden ceramah here since he was imprisoned in 2015 at the SP Arena in Seberang Jaya tonight before heading back to Kuala Lumpur on the last commercial flight out of the Bayan Lepas International Airport.