Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said it was MCA that had asked for the deputy prime minister position, after initially claiming that DAP had made the request.
"I was reported as saying that DAP had asked to have a second deputy prime minister.
"I wish to correct my mistake. It was not the DAP but it was the MCA," he said in a blog posting today.
Mahathir said the request was made by then MCA deputy secretary-general Loke Yuen Yow, who was also a deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department, in 2009.
The former prime minister also furnished a report on the Malaysian Information Department website that had highlighted Loke's request to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.
The report, in Bahasa Malysia, reads: "Datuk Loke Yuen Yow, MCA deputy secretary-general, on his website, urged Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to set up deputy prime minister and deputy BN chairperson positions to be filled by his (MCA) president to reflect the 'real power sharing'.
"According to Loke, the second deputy prime minister position for the MCA president will not only realise concept of power sharing but also show that the government gives priority to the role and contribution of the Chinese community in the nation-building process."
Yesterday, Mahathir was quoted as saying that DAP had never asked for the prime minister position but did request for a second deputy prime minister position to be created for the party.
DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng denied that his party had asked for the deputy prime minister position if the opposition coalition were to capture Putrajaya.
Mahathir later claimed his words were twisted by the media.- Mkini
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