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Wan Azizah: Cool to have RM2.6 billion to oust Najib

The opposition does not have accesss to a RM2.6 billion donation to get BN MPs to cross over to support a vote of no confidence against Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Parliament opposition leader Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail made this quip in Seberang Jaya, Penang today, adding that "we also do not have the intention to buy them".

"If we have the power of RM2.6 billion, it might help us, for that is the way it is," she wryly told reporters after opening the Permatang Pauh division annual meeting this morning.

She was taking a dig at Najib who is facing tremendous pressure over the RM2.6 billion donation allegedly from an anonymous Arab.

The money was reportedly deposited in his private banks accounts before the 2013 national polls. Najib ( photo ) has insisted he did not use it for personal gain.

Najib is also facing international criticism over the financial management of the country's sovereign fund, 1Malaysia Development Berhad.

Wan Azizah was asked when would the opposition table a vote of no confidence in Parliament to oust Najib, as most DAP, PKR and PAS MPs have expressed their support for the move.

Wan Azizah said the opposition is still discussing the way best to do it, including "doing it outside Parliament".

By that she meant the opposition needs to obtain majority votes from the people.

"How to get that is one thing, we don't have RM2.6 billion donations," the Permatang Pauh MP said.

Regime change

Wan Azizah said the move can also be carried out during the coming budget session, where MPs can decide not to pass the budget presented by Najib.

However, this would only lead to a change in the prime minister, and not a regime change where BN or Umno would be removed.

"This is how it works, the incumbent government would always have the upper hand, and even during polls, we really need to have an edge to win," she explained.

"It is not easy with all the concentration of power including in the mainstream media, where only negative news are carried about us," she lamented.

"We also have a vote bank deficit in Sabah and Sarawak, in postal votes from the army and police," added the Kajang assemblywoman.

Even if all opposition members - 87 MPs - cast a vote of no confidence against Najib, the coalition needs 25 more MPs to achieve a simple majority for it to be successful.

Meanwhile, Azizah said the former Pakatan Rakyat has always maintained an electoral pact with Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM).

She said since the party was not in Pakatan Rakyat, it was not invited to the recent Pakatan Harapan - the new opposition - coalition's meeting.

Pakatan Harapan now consists of DAP, PKR and Amanah, the splinter party of PAS.

PAS has said it is not interested in joining the pact.

"We are still open to others, we can discuss later," Azizah said.

She was referring to Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad and Serdang MP Ong Kian Ming's claims that PSM was not invited to the meeting as the party had disagreed with Article 153 of the federal constitution which deals with the special position of the bumiputera.

The previous Pakatan policy framework includes Article 153. However, PSM leaders are sore that the two MPs had "lied" about the party's stand on Article 153.

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