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KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's deputy prime minister has rejected opposition claims it has the support of enough defectors from the ruling coalition to seize power, reports said Thursday.
The Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition lost its two-thirds majority in parliament and control of four states in March 8 general elections, in the worst performance of its half-century rule over Malaysia. Five states are now in opposition hands.
Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has said government lawmakers from Sabah and Sarawak states on Borneo island have approached him about switching sides although none has declared their intentions publicly.
"So far, there's no indication of BN elected representatives wanting to cross over," Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak was quoted as saying in The New Straits Times.
"I don't believe we are in a crisis to be toppled at any time. Still, we will monitor the situation and not take things for granted," he said.
Anwar's claim that "we have enough MPs to topple the government" was made Monday as he celebrated the end of his ban from politics with a rally.
"We are saying here for the first time that we are ready (to rule the country)," he said.
"But we will only enter when the majority is comfortable," Anwar told reporters after his speech to 10,000 supporters was cut short by police, who said the gathering was illegal.
The former deputy prime minister was heir apparent to long-time leader Mahathir Mohamad but he was sacked and jailed for six years on sex and graft charges that he dismissed as politically motivated.
The sex conviction against Anwar was later dropped but the corruption count prevented him from standing for public office until Tuesday.
Anwar had been expected to re-enter parliament quickly through a by-election in one of the seats held by his Keadilan party, and to challenge Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in a symbolic no-confidence vote soon after.
But in light of the stunning and unexpected gains, he has said he is in no hurry to act and will instead focus on building up the opposition. - AFP/ir
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