At Anwar’s home, chants of ‘Reformasi! Hidup Anwar!’ ring out as Selangor MP decries traitors

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 23 — PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s supporters shouted “Reformasi” and “Hidup Anwar” from within his home in Segambut tonight, even as his political rivals gathered together with some Pakatan Harapan politicians at the Sheraton Petaling Jaya hotel.

With at least 30 media personnel waited outside the gates of his Segambut residence, repeated chants of “Reformasi” were heard at around 9.35pm, followed by refrains of “Hidup Anwar”.

Chants of “Reformasi” were also heard at 9.42pm from within the compound, a call popularised and synonymous with the movement that eventually led to PKR’s birth after Anwar was sacked from the government in 1998.

PKR’s Kapar MP Datuk Abdullah Sani Abdul Hamid came out with other supporters shortly before 10.50pm, chanting “Reformasi” thrice and told them “We will fight on”.

When approached by the media, Abdullah Sani declared that Malaysians were being betrayed by unnamed traitors.

“This is the actual traitor that betrayed the trust of the public (rakyat) that had given their support to Pakatan Harapan. They have entered through the backdoor. Damn them,” he said just outside the gates of Anwar’s house.

“Surely traitors will be punished by the rakyat (public) that gave us the mandate,” he added.

When asked if PKR has backup plans, Abdullah Sani said “Don’t worry we are already on standby, and we are prepared — everything.”

Asked if PKR would be ready in the event of a snap election, he said the party was “always ready”.

When asked how many within PKR were “traitors”, he merely described them as “two or three mosquitoes” that would be swatted later on.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who is also Anwar’s wife, is in the residence now.

Dr Wan Azizah had been the president of PKR since it was founded until Anwar took on the post uncontested in party polls in 2018.

Anwar’s political secretary Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak said Anwar left his residence around 10.30pm for what is believed to be a closed-door meeting with PH party heads.

Farhash also told reporters that Dr Wan Azizah was not part of the meeting believed to be between Anwar and the party heads of PH component parties DAP and Parti Amanah Negara.

Farhash confirmed that Anwar’s scheduled audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong tomorrow would proceed, with Dr Wan Azizah also expected to attend the same meeting with the ruler.

Earlier on, PKR leaders who were spotted entering the compound of Anwar’s residence include party treasurer-general and Semambu assemblyman Lee Chean Chung, party communications director and Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil, deputy tourism minister and Balik Pulau MP Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik, Wangsa Maju MP Datin Paduka Tan Yee Kew, and Syed Husin Ali.

Deputy minister Fuziah Salleh, who is also Kuantan MP, briefly told the media while entering the compound at around 10.12pm: “PKR is ok. Those who are not ok are those with other goals (matlamat).”

Sounds of Islamic prayers could be heard at times from within the compound of Anwar’s residence, while cars passed through the narrow road outside the residence and onlookers and media waited under the watchful eyes of police personnel stationed at his house to provide security.

Supporters and vehicles were seen streaming in and out of Anwar’s residence until 10.50pm when the gates of the house were finally keep shut.

Anwar himself did not come out to meet or speak to the media.

Related Articles Utamakan prinsip, Anwar puas hati pendirian Dr Mahathir Kumpul di hotel, Maria Chin bukan pemimpin ‘pintu belakang’ Report: Selangor MB, aligned to Azmin, summons all PKR state assemblymen