Dr M scoffs at second DPM post

The former premier finds the proposal ridiculous as other states too may want a second deputy prime minister to come from their states.

KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad today laughed off the demands made by lawmakers in Sabah and Sarawak for a second deputy prime minister, saying they should be sincere in serving voters and not chase for high posts in the government.

The idea was mooted by United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) president Bernard Dompok at the Sabah-based Barisan Nasional (BN) component party’s triennial delegates conference in Kota Kinabalu last month.

Mahathir said if the demand was met, politicians in Sabah and Sarawak would have to consider the demands of their counterparts in the peninsula.

“Why Sabah and Sarawak? What about other states? I think Kedah also wants a deputy prime minister,” the Kedah-born in jest.

“Everybody wants a post. There should be a MCA deputy, a MIC deputy, a Gerakan deputy. And if Pakatan Rakyat wins, everybody will want to become prime minister,” he added.

Mahathir urged Sabah and Sarawak legislators to focus on doing their job to serve the people instead if they were sincere in executing their duties as government leaders.

“Whether you’re deputy (prime minister) or not, if you can serve the people, that’s fine. If you don’t serve the people, you’ll suffer the fate of (Muammar) Gaddafi,” he said.

The idea for a second deputy prime minister’s post to be filled by leaders in Sabah and Sarawak was meant to recognise the importance of the two states.

The proposal was seconded by Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Dr James Masing and also supported by the opposition, Sarawak’s PKR vice-chairman, See Chee How.

The opposition leader had said the idea could benefit the people of the two states.

Leaders from the two states have longed complained of negligence from Putrajaya, leading to several defections of its politicians and component parties from Barisan Nasional (BN).

The complaints have also led to growing support for the opposition.

Pakatan had doubled its seats in the recently concluded Sarawak state election, wiping out the notion that Sabah and Sarawak will remain as the ruling coalition’s “vote banks”.