Anwar: Dr M says he's not involved in attempt to rally support to remain PM

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim says Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad personally told him that he was not involved in an attempt to rally support to remain as prime minister for the full term.

The PKR president added that the matter of power transition would be decided in a Pakatan Harapan presidential council meeting on Feb 21.

“I am inclined to believe that (Dr Mahathir) will continue leading the country until after the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit.

“In any case, this matter will be finalised in a Pakatan Harapan presidential council meeting this Feb 21, ” he said in a statement on Thursday (Feb 13).

The Port Dickson MP added that Dr Mahathir had reiterated in a recent meeting between the two that he would relinquish his post as Prime Minister as promised.

“I met with the Prime Minister in Putrajaya when I returned from Port Dickson. In the meeting, Dr Mahathir and I discussed the issue of the transition of power.

“I brought up the issue because there were efforts by PAS, a group from Umno and a small group from PKR who are believed to be collecting statutory declarations to support Dr Mahathir’s leadership for the full (five-year) term.

“The Prime Minister is not involved in such an attempt and has strongly reiterated that he will relinquish his position as was promised, ” Anwar said.

Anwar said he has spoken to the Prime Minister about a plot to disrupt the agreed-upon leadership transition.

“I have informed him that there is an ‘evil’ plot, but that the Pakatan leadership and a few allies will defend the Muafakat Pakatan Harapan agreement that was settled upon on Jan 7,2018, in which he will be the seventh prime minister and I will be the eighth prime minister.

“I also reminded him that for nearly two years of Pakatan Harapan’s administration, the agreement was never under the threat from any of the coalition partners, which are PKR, DAP, Parti Amanah Negara and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, ” he said.