Lame Excuse & Lies – Despite Two-Thirds Majority Support, Anwar Whines About Lack Of Number For Reforms

Lame Excuse & Lies – Despite Two-Thirds Majority Support, Anwar Whines About Lack Of Number For Reforms


June 12th, 2025 by financetwitter



Exactly how does Anwar Ibrahim know that reforms, which he had been screaming till foaming at the mouth from 1998 to 2022 when he was in the opposition, will fail if he does not even care to introduce them in the first place? Crucially, how did he conclude that reforming the toxic governance system will take time and requires cooperation from coalitions beyond Pakatan Harapan (PH)?

“For those who are impatient and want it fast – they are blinded by the facts and reality,” – argued Mr Anwar as he arrogantly berated critics that Pakatan Harapan led by him has only 81 MPs, including 31 from his own party PKR (People’s Justice Party). “It is not even a simple majority,” – he proudly lectured everyone as if the 34 million Malaysians hadn’t realized that.


Of course, every Tom, Dick and Harry knew that the November 2022 General Election had produced a hung parliament. Anwar, who is also Pakatan chairman, finally became the 10th Prime Minister thanks to UMNO-led Barisan Nasional, rival-turned-ally whose 31 MPs were the secret sauce to the formation of a simple-majority Unity Government in the 222 seats Parliament.


Coming from the horse’s mouth, it’s absolutely hilarious that the same PKR president who had previously claimed the infamous – “I have the number” – when he was the opposition leader, is now pretending that he does not have the number – even though he had bragged about the support of at least 147 MPs in the Lower House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat) not many moons ago.

Yes, as recent as September 20, 2024, Anwar challenged – again – the opposition to file a motion for vote of no confidence against him. In fact, during his party gathering held at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil attended by 10,000 supporters to glorify “From Reformasi to Malaysia Madani”, the premier had even bragged about the strong currency and bullish economy under his leadership.


The first proof that Opposition Perikatan Nasional did not have the number was when PM Anwar won a motion of confidence with the support of 148 MPs or two-thirds majority on Dec 19, 2022. But if the opposition still does not have the number to snatch power from Anwar’s Madanistan, it means the ruling unity government has the number, no?


For Anwar to say he doesn’t have the number as major reforms require consensus from all parties within his own government, it could only mean one thing – he really does not have the number or has lost the support from the majority of the Members of Parliament, therefore he must resign. He has to make up his mind – does he or does he not command the support of the majority of MPs?

If Anwar still has the support of at least 112 MPs, then he should not lie that reforms cannot be carried out with a lame excuse that Pakatan Harapan has only 81 MPs. The simple fact that he praised UMNO and said – “We are fortunate because UMNO and Barisan Nasional have turned out to be one of the core pillars committed to reforms,” – suggests that the PM has the support from even UMNO to carry out reforms.

Not all reforms require super-majority support in the parliament. At best, governing partner Barisan Nasional rejects all types of reforms and Anwar lied about UMNO’s commitment to reforms. At worst, Barisan Nasional has no problems with the reforms and Anwar lied about his own PKR’s commitment to reforms, but tries to blame it on Barisan, even opposition Perikatan Nasional.


Either way, Anwar has done an excellent job telling all and sundry that he’s a serial liar like former Prime Minister Najib Razak. If he is sincere, all he needs to do is to introduce the reforms and put it to vote in the Parliament. Let the people see and judge who amongst the MPs actually reject the reforms. He does not need to split hairs and cook silly lies that he was powerless to execute reforms.


It was also an insult to the people’s intelligence to argue that reforms will take time. If the powerful prime minister could not carry out any reforms after 30 months in power and despite possessing two-thirds majority support, chances are there won’t be any reforms even if Anwar is given another 20 years. In reality, Pakatan should take advantage of current two-thirds MPs support to prioritise reforms. Why?

What if Anwar-led Pakatan Harapan loses in the next 16th General Election, or Barisan Nasional decides to switch sides for political reason and forms a new government with Perikatan Nasional? Should not PKR, after screaming “Reformasi” for 24 years, proactively and aggressively push for reforms now that it still enjoys the 147 MPs’ support rather than pussyfooting?


The best part is the premier does not know how long will it take to deliver reforms, yet too afraid to even take the first step to reforms. Neither partner Barisan Nasional nor opposition Perikatan Nasional has expressed any refusal to support reforms. Anwar only assumes without proof that every coalition – friend and foe – will not support reforms.

The fact that PKR’s own lawmaker, Wong Chen, has been so disillusioned with the lack of reforms within his own political party that he’s taking a break to ponder his future in France suggests that Anwar Ibrahim has all along not interested to carry out reforms, but merely shouting “Reformasi” to hoodwink the people and to scam for votes.

The only disgusting reforms that people see is more taxes – from basic fruits to small business owners – and subsidy cuts. Anti-corruption reform has turned out to be nothing but freeing crooks aligned with the interest of Anwar like former Prime Minister Najib Razak and his families. Anwar was also quick in protecting elites through monopoly, cronyism and nepotism.



The burning question is this – if Pakatan’s 81 MPs is indeed facing fierce rejection from Barisan Nasional, Gabungan Parti Sarawak and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah to reforms, then what were the agreed concessions between Pakatan Harapan and those coalitions to the formation of the Unity Government? Was it just to satisfy Anwar’s ambition to become the prime minister?

If Anwar had agreed not to pursue reforms in exchange for support from other coalitions just so that he can become the 10th Prime Minister, does not that make him selfishly power-crazy? Even if that’s true, Anwar still can’t explain why he had to give up more concessions like pardoning Najib, freeing Zahid or surrendering Petronas’ rights to Sarawak.

Crucially, based on Anwar’s brilliant logic that Pakatan can’t push for reforms simply because it alone does not have a simple majority in Parliament, then it doesn’t matter who becomes the Prime Minister. Therefore, Barisan Nasional chairman Zahid Hamidi or Gabungan Parti Sarawak chairman Abang Johari Openg too is as qualified as Anwar to become the premier.


If Anwar is no different than Zahid in commitment to reforms, then why should people vote for Pakatan instead of Barisan? Obviously, there isn’t any value proposition that Pakatan under Anwar leadership can offer which other coalitions cannot offer. Screaming Reformasi, but cowardly throwing excuses not to reform after grabbing power is pathetic and despicable.

When it comes to tax reforms to collect money from the people, or prison reforms to allow Najib to serve jail sentence in the comfort of a mansion, or subsidy reforms to eliminate subsidies on eggs, petrol and food, or giving a RM2 billion contract to a minister’s spouse, or sending planeloads of money to Palestine-Hamas, PM Anwar did not complained about the lack of simple majority in parliament.


Instead of spinning, twisting and lying, Anwar should realize that he only has a 5-year term to carry out reforms, not 20 years. At least, he should be seen as pushing for reforms before people are convinced that he deserves another 5 years. He should present what types of reforms he is pursuing (if any) and the milestones of each reform along with the challenges or objections. Stop being a liar spewing empty rhetoric.