PKR's Kumaresan Aramugam claimed Pakatan Harapan will regain public trust by allowing Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to lead now. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon

KUALA LUMPUR, March 4 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim needs to be made prime minister immediately to return public trust following back-to-back by-election losses, a Penang PKR assemblyman said today.

Batu Uban representative, Kumaresan Aramugam, said the ruling coalition’s own weaknesses caused its defeat in Semenyih on Saturday, citing the failure to meet key election pledges as the primary factor.

He claimed by allowing Anwar to lead now will help Pakatan Harapan (PH) regain public trust.

“I am confident that for PH to decide on its future Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (DSAI) must be appointed the 8th prime minister (now) as agreed upon previously,” he said in a statement.

“As many already know DSAI is an expert in economic management. His experience as the former deputy prime minister and finance minister will be the pillar of his leadership.”

Barisan Nasional recaptured the Semenyih state seat in Saturday’s tightly contested by-election. Its candidate, Zakaria Hanafi won the four cornered-contest with a slim 1,914 majority votes.

This came after PH failed to take the Cameron Highlands parliamentary seat in the January 26 by-election.

Several leaders from the ruling coalition conceded that PH lost the Semenyih by-election due to voter frustration with cost of living pressure, and wanted to send a message.

Kumaresan claimed voters also viewed some Cabinet ministers to be ineffective. He has urged Anwar to change the Cabinet lineup upon taking office.

Current Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had said he would step down to make way for Anwar in two years.