KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim swooped in on rival territory in the opposition-ruled northern swing state of Kedah on Friday with promises to help the poor.An estimated 3,000 settlers greeted Datuk Seri Anwar in the Felda Teloi Timur settlement.
The premier pledged to bring changes to Felda, saying he had previously approved an RM8.3 billion allocation to waive Felda settlers’ debts in June. “Kedah is one of the poorest states. To win, we need a leader who is not the type to shout and insult, but someone who knows how to do the job and can negotiate with the federal government,” he said in an apparent reference to Sanusi, who is well-known for his brash and no-holds-barred manner of speaking.
To boost its support among Malay voters in Malaysia, Mr Anwar’s ruling coalition is hoping to wrest Kedah back. He has been charged with making seditious remarks against the Selangor ruler and accused of being linked to the theft of rare earth elements in his state.