After Nurul Izzah barbs, Hadi comes to Dr M's defence

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is not a dictator because he was elected through the democratic process of an election, says PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang.

His comments came following PKR MP Nurul Izzah Anwar’s remarks to Singapore’s The Straits Times during an interview that she was “broken-hearted” having to once again work with Dr Mahathir.

“He is not a dictator because he was chosen democratically through an election, and it was Pakatan  Harapan that chose him (to be Prime Minister).

“He did not appoint himself,” said Abdul Hadi to reporters when met at the Parliament lobby on Tuesday (March 26).

Most importantly, Hadi Awang, in reiterating that Dr Mahathir was not a dictator, said the 93-year-old must be firm in leading a weak Cabinet.

“A leader must be firm in facing weak Cabinet members,” he added.

In the interview, Nurul Izzah also said that she would be serving her final term as an MP due to her disappointment with the current Pakatan government’s performance.

Rumours of a Cabinet reshuffle has been rife since last year, given the dismal performances of Pakatan ministers.

On March 11, the Prime Minister’s media adviser Datuk A. Kadir Jasin had urged Pakatan to weed out “clowns and comic characters”, as its first year in governance approached.