Calling instead for support to be given to current prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Anwar said based on the initial Pakatan Harapan consensus, a power shift could happen in the near future, with his participation in Parliament.
He admitted there had been offers from certain members of parliament to relinquish their seats to make way for his entry into Parliament.
“I appreciate those offers. For now, we should fully support Mahathir. We need to give him the space and means to lead the government without pressure.
“If I decide to enter Parliament, it is as a supporter of the government. We are still observing. If you look at the process, it must begin with my participation in Parliament to put me in a position for a power shift to take place.
“Let us not pray for people to die quickly,” he said in a press conference at the party headquarters here today.
Anwar was asked to comment on his next move, as a result of him winning the party presidency uncontested recently, and whether he would go for a by-election that was natural or engineered.
“If we go for a by-election by natural means, it means I will have to wait for an MP to die. Itu pandangan bengong (That is a ridiculous viewpoint),” he said.
Under the PH consensus, a power shift was expected to take place in two years, but Anwar said if no one died, then the power shift must take place in five years.
“I do not wish to dwell on this. But there have been views that it should be a by-election by natural means. I find this hard to understand.
“A decision on this power shift had been made while I was in jail. A consensus was reached among PH parties.
“A power shift will take place. It is a matter of whether it is immediate or not. To me it is not urgent. What is more urgent is the PKR polls,” he said.
The prime minister-in-waiting said he would discuss with Mahathir to give him space to take part in Parliament in order to start parliamentary reforms.
“It is important to ensure that power is not concentrated in the hands of the cabinet. Parliament needs to able to function well,” he added.
There had been talk of several MPs willing to give up their seats for Anwar, such as Selayang MP William Leong Jee Keen and Sungai Petani MP Johari Abdul.
Batu MP P Prabakaran, on the other hand, had denied claims he was offered RM25 million to give up his parliamentary seat.