PUTRAJAYA: Pakatan Harapan is willing to support Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s leadership if the new Prime Minister takes a more “pro-rakyat” (people-centric) route.

       Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the coalition agreed that cooling down the country’s “political temperature” was important as priority should be on managing Covid-19-related issues.

       And should a confidence vote for Ismail Sabri be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat, Anwar hinted Pakatan may choose to back it.“If this is the situation, and the programmes are people-centric, we will not make things difficult (in the event of a confidence vote),” said Anwar when met by reporters after the meeting with Ismail Sabri yesterday.

       The hour-long meeting was also attended by DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu.

       Anwar said the meeting with Ismail Sabri was a “good start”.

       Rare meeting: Ismail Sabri with (from left) Mohamad, Anwar and Lim at the Prime Minister’s Office. — Photo courtesy of PMO

       “He (Ismail Sabri) is from Umno. I joked with him that the ‘no Anwar, no DAP’ stance has changed,” said the PKR president.

       Anwar also said Pakatan had not lobbied for any positions in Ismail Sabri’s government.

       “We did not come to ask for positions. Our issue is specific towards the economy, rakyat and Covid-19,” added Anwar.

       Meanwhile, Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan said the consensus achieved by the government and the Opposition should be lauded by all.

       He said while the consensus was an early testament of Ismail Sabri’s ability to gain an understanding with Pakatan, credit should also be given to opposition leaders who were heeding calls by Istana Negara to set aside politics.