Anwar alleges 'betrayal' behind Negeri Sembilan early election call

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has alleged that a "slight element of betrayal" influenced the decision to hold early state elections in Negeri Sembilan. He suggested that actions undermining the agreed-upon political cooperation and stability were behind the move.

"If there are no betrayals, that's good. But if we look at our experience in Negeri Sembilan, there were certainly efforts to bring [the government] down despite political and economic stability," Anwar told reporters. He was speaking after officiating the 10th Annual General Meeting of Putrajaya Professional Cooperative Bhd (Koprojaya).

Anwar's remarks followed a statement by UMNO President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who dismissed claims that UMNO was a traitor in the dissolution of the Negeri Sembilan government. The Prime Minister emphasized that the decision to hold early elections rests with the state government. He also commented on Johor's decision to hold early elections, stating that the focus should be on economic growth and addressing public issues.

"If in the next three to four months we are busy with elections, when we could have used two to three months during an economic crisis to focus on that, that's what I mean," Anwar said. He added that if there were no actions considered betrayals of the spirit of cooperation, the matter would not be an issue. He stressed the importance of understanding why cooperation and consensus are vital and that elections should be held when necessary.