KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail issued her first public statement on Monday (Feb 24) morning since rumours of a power grab unfolded on Sunday.

She urged Malaysians on Twitter to place their faith in Allah and stay calm.

“Men can plan, but Allah decides,” she tweeted.

“Believe that Allah will always side with those who are patient. InsyaAllah (if God wills).”

Dr Wan Azizah was with her husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at their residence in Segambut, Kuala Lumpur, on Sunday night as rumours grew that the Pakatan Harapan coalition would collapse.

The man at the epicentre of the purported power grab is none other than Mr Anwar’s old nemesis, current Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who was speculated to have engineered the political realignment with members of the Opposition.

The new coalition would see him staying in power, at least for the remaining term.

Dr Mahathir, who stayed at home all through Sunday’s development, has so far kept mum.

But while Mr Anwar described the betrayal as complete last night, it is still unclear if the parties in the purported plot have the numbers to replace Pakatan Harapan.

The PKR president is scheduled to meet Dr Mahathir in Putrajaya at 9.30am, his political aide said on Monday.

The coalition and its partner Warisan squeaked into power in 2018 with 121 seats, but has steadily added to this by recruiting lawmakers from Opposition parties, primarily Umno, to bring its representation in Parliament to 139.

However, most joined Bersatu and the departure of its 26 MPs and and Warisan’s nine is certain to undo the government as this would leave PKR, DAP and Amanah with just 104 seats, short of the 112 needed to continue with a simple majority.

This is also before accounting for PKR MPs from Datuk Seri Azmin Ali’s so-called cartel who are expected to join the new coalition. MALAY MAIL