KLANG: The effort to get MPs to back Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to complete a full term has been ongoing for almost two years, says a PKR MP.
He said the plot started as soon as the MPs were sworn in after the 2018 General Election.
“The mastermind is not even an MP. He is an outsider with vested interest, ’’ he alleged.
However, most of the MPs chose to stick to the arrangement for Dr Mahathir to hand over the baton to PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He also rubbished talk that there were now a big number of MPs ready to sign a purported statutory declaration (SD) mooted by PAS for Dr Mahathir to finish his term.
“PAS has only 18 seats but behaves as though it holds 180 seats in Parliament, ’’ he said.
Selangor Opposition chief Rizam Ismail, who is from Umno, said he was not aware of such development.
“So far, I have not heard of this. Maybe Tan Sri Noh Omar may know better, ’’ he said.
Noh, who is the Tanjong Karang MP, is the sole Barisan Nasional MP from Selangor currently. He was not contactable at press time.
PKR veterans’ group Otai Reformis 1998 secretary Abdul Razak Ismail said it was their stand that Anwar should take over the premiership in May.
“We are very firm for Dr Mahathir to vacate for Anwar.
“It is not the Parliament but the ruling coalition that decides who becomes the next prime minister, ’’ said Abdul Razak.
He said it was the Pakatan Harapan presidential council that selected Dr Mahathir to helm the nation after the last general election.
Abdul Razak also lambasted PAS for attempting to start a new trend to table a vote of confidence.
“We have only heard of vote of no confidence.
“I think the Speaker is smart enough not to allow such a motion, ’’ he added.
Selangor Umno secretary Datuk Nasaruddin M. Zin said generally, discussions were held between national leaders of both parties without the involvement of state leaders.
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