Zuraida: Let Mahathir deal with TMJ

SEPANG: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad will be able to deal with Tengku Mahkota Johor Tunku Ismail Ibni Sultan Ibrahim, says Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin.

"Let them settle it at their level," she said.

She was asked to comment on the opposing points of view between Dr Mahathir and Tunku Ismail over Johor, the government and royalty.

"The exchanges between Dr Mahathir and TMJ are on a different level. I do not think we should come into play," she said during a group interview here on Monday (April 29).

On Monday, Dr Mahathir responded to an apparent jibe from Tunku Ismail by saying that only the people can remove him from office as the Prime Minister.

He was asked to comment about a video of Tunku Ismail saying that the Prime Minister should be replaced.

In the video, Tunku Ismail is seen leaving Stadium Larkin after a football match on Wednesday (April 24).

The vehicle ferrying him stopped when a fan shouted "Change Mora", in reference to the football club's coach Benjamin Mora.

Tunku Ismail, who was seen in the front passenger seat, then put his head out of the window and retorted: "Instead of changing Mora, it's better to change the Prime Minister."

She also said that it was unfair to ask Dr Mahathir to leave following the results of a Merdeka Centre poll showing a decline in the approval ratings of the Prime Minister and Pakatan Harapan.

Last Saturday, the Merdeka Centre said that Dr Mahathir's approval rating as Prime Minister fell to 46% from a high of 71% in August last year, according to a poll it conducted.

The opinion research firm also found that the Pakatan government's rating was at 39%, compared to 79% from that same period in 2018.

Zuraida said Pakatan's popularity reached its peak during the 14th General Election as the rakyat wanted to see a change of government.

"The rating was high and we won. After that, when we took over the government, it is about administration and new policies. They are being rated on a different platform. So its not fair to say that the ratings dropped," she said.