Wan Azizah was King's choice for interim PM, former AG Thomas claims in book

PETALING JAYA: A book authored by former attorney general Tan Sri Tommy Thomas has suggested that the King had wanted to appoint Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as the interim prime minister in accordance with the Federal Constitution following Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s resignation as premier.

According to a report in Sin Chew Daily, Thomas, however, claimed that Dr Mahathir put forward his own name for the interim prime minister post at that time.

“This is probably without precedent in modern politics. A prime minister who is comfortably in power resigns of his own free will and volition.

“Consistent with that decision, he should leave the political scene after holding the most important position in the state, ” said Thomas.

He added that the potential appointment of then Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah would have been the correct constitutional decision.

Dr Mahathir was the Prime Minister during the political turmoil that saw the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government early last year.

Thomas also claimed that the reasons behind the fall of the Pakatan government were mistrust and the invitation of “political frogs”.

“The inaction and inertia that marked Pakatan’s response to racial and religious issues also resulted in another bizarre decision by the (then) prime minister.

“Instead of defending his colleagues, with whom he had done battle prior to the 14th General Election, Tun reached out to MPs from Umno, welcoming them with open arms.

“Two or three waves of Umno ‘frogs’, totalling about 18, defected, ” Thomas wrote in My Story: Justice In The Wilderness.

Thomas said although the “Sheraton Move” was the beginning of the end of Pakatan rule in February last year, cracks had started with mismanagement.

He said those in the Pakatan leadership who were against PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim were the ones who initiated the movement to bring in the “frogs”, including Dr Mahathir, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Datuk Seri Azmin Ali.

Thomas said not only did the “frogs” not show any loyalty, they also took control of the camp and eventually formed the so-called “backdoor government” in March last year.

Thomas served as the AG from June 4,2018 until Feb 28,2020, under Dr Mahathir’s premiership.