'Incorrigible liar and political psychopath' - Azmin reacts after Anwar's presser

PKR president Anwar Ibrahim's claim that he had secured a majority in the Dewan Rakyat has courted a flurry of reaction from the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government.

While many government leaders dismissed Anwar's claims, International Trade and Industry Minister Azmin Ali only has five words to offer.

"Incorrigible liar and political psychopath," he said on Twitter.

Azmin, who is also a Bersatu supreme council member, did not elaborate on his curt message.

The former PKR deputy president was instrumental in engineering the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government in late February.

Azmin had led 10 PKR MPs including himself to defect to Bersatu just as Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin pulled his party out from Harapan.

Muhyiddin was sworn in as prime minister after he formed the new PN government comprising the PKR defectors, Bersatu, BN, GPS, PAS, PBS and Star.

Azmin was formerly an Anwar loyalist who followed him when he was sacked as deputy prime minister in 1998 and later jailed by then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

However, Azmin and Anwar's relationship had been strained in recent years, causing PKR to split into two factions.

It culminated with Azmin's defection in late February. Azmin also brought most of his supporters to Bersatu.

At a press conference at Le Meridien Hotel in Kuala Lumpur today, Anwar claimed he had obtained a majority in the Dewan Rakyat but declined to reveal the exact number of MPs.

The Port Dickson MP said it was only appropriate that he present the numbers to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong first.

"Conclusively, we have a strong, formidable majority. I'm not talking four, five or six.

"I'm talking about much more than that," he had said.

However, PN leaders maintain that Anwar is bluffing.