Dr Mahathir holds 'Pakatan Plus' meeting without PKR leaders

PETALING JAYA - Former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had a meeting with top leaders of "Pakatan Plus" on Thursday (June 4) evening, although no PKR leaders were present.

The meeting at the Yayasan Al-Bukhary in Kuala Lumpur was attended by DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, DAP national secretary Anthony Loke, Parti Amanah Negara president Mohamad Sabu, and Warisan president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal.

Also present were former Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir and former Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) secretary-general Datuk Marzuki Yahya.

However, neither PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim nor other leaders from PKR were present at the meeting.

Dr Mahathir's former aide Adam Mukhriz Mohd Muhayeddin had uploaded a picture of the meeting on his Facebook account on Thursday.

"Tun M meeting Pakatan Harapan Plus (Bersatu, Tun M and Warisan), and after that with YB Shahruddin after he announced his resignation, " said Adam in a Facebook post.

Datuk Shahruddin Md Salleh, who resigned from his position as deputy works minister, had also met with Dr Mahathir Mohamad on Thursday.

​Meanwhile, a PKR source claimed that Anwar had asked for another date, as he was unable to attend the meeting.

"He could not delegate it to anyone else, as it was a presidential meeting, " said the source.

This is the second time Anwar has not attended a meeting attended by top Pakatan leaders.

Anwar was not present during a press conference called by Dr Mahathir last month, with Anwar later saying that he has another meeting at the same time.

Pakatan Plus is an informal term referring to the Pakatan Harapan coalition after Bersatu and several PKR leaders left the coalition.