ANWAR CONFIRMS NEW COALTION: 'We'll rise with NEW FRIENDS, become stronger'

The architect - who brought three parties with opposing ideologies to sit at the same table under the banner of Pakatan Rakyat - today confirmed of a new realignment in the opposition.

Anwar Ibrahim, who is currently serving a five-year sentence, believes the opposition would rise stronger from the ashes of Pakatan.

"I have no doubt that the Opposition, reorganised with new forces including NGOs, will emerge united and stronger from these troubles.

"I assure you, that I will never give up this struggle as long as there remains breath in this body," he said in a statement released through his lawyers.

Anwar's statement is the clearest yet of efforts to create a post-Pakatan coalition.

Today, PasMA president Phahrolrazi Mohd Zawawi had announced that it will be joining a new opposition coalition that is to be formed with DAP.

This is despite Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali's insistence that Pakatan wasn't dead.

Partnership to better serve the rakyat

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang (photo) had also insisted Pakatan has not been dissolved as it still comprise PAS and PKR.

DAP had last Tuesday declared Pakatan dead in response to PAS, under its new conservative leadership, passing a motion at its muktamar which proposed the severing of ties with DAP.

DAP had insisted that Pakatan comprises three parties and cannot exist without any one of them.

Anwar said in spite of recent events, the purpose and strength of the opposition in its struggle against BN's "poor governance and authoritarianism" endures.

"We are now working to forge a stronger and enduring partnership, to better serve the rakyat," he said.

In the interim, Anwar assured that there is a "functioning and robust" opposition at both state and parliamentary levels.

Despite being in jail, Anwar urged his colleagues to press on with the opposition's struggle.

"From behind these iron bars, I urge you, my colleagues in the opposition and my fellow Malaysians, to press on with this great struggle until victory is achieved, and the nation saved," he said. - M'kini