KUALA LUMPUR, March 13 ― Kapar MP Datuk Abdullah Sani Abdul Hamid has denied former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s claim that PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was rejected by the Malays because he was “liberal”.

Sinar Harian today reported Abdullah Sani as saying Dr Mahathir’s accusation against Anwar also revealed that the Langkawi MP clearly has a hidden agenda to undermine his rival.

“If Anwar was rejected (by the Malays) then why did we win seats in Parliament? Also the (PKR) logo used during the 14th General Election and the logo reflects PKR and Anwar.

“So, I do not understand where the evidence is that Anwar was rejected. To me, it (Dr Mahathir's statement) is not correct at all,” he was quoted as saying by Sinar Harian.

Abdullah Sani reminded Dr Mahathir that he became the PM by contesting on a PKR ticket and should not have said what he did about Anwar.

“Without the victory of the PH consensus formed before the general election, Dr Mahathir would not have been able to become prime minister again.

“I personally do not understand the ‘liberal’ term used against Anwar because if we look at the background of their families (Anwar and Dr Mahathir’s), I am sure the people will be able to tell who the liberals really are,” he said.

Yesterday, Dr Mahathir claimed  Anwar did not have the support of the Malay community as they viewed him as a liberal.

The former prime minister told Sinar Harian this has been the case since Anwar was still in Umno, saying the Malays feared liberalism would lead to an erosion of their rights and privileges.

He claimed Anwar formed PKR as a liberal party as he wanted to gain the support of DAP and PAS.

Dr Mahathir did not elaborate on his incongruity of lumping both DAP and PAS as liberals.

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2020/03/13/wrong-to-say-malays-reject-anwar-for-liberalism-kapar-mp-says/1846069