IS MAHATHIR SIGNALLING THE WAR AGAINST ANWAR IS ON? DECISION TO KEEP DAIM-LED CEP IN POWER INDICATES DR M HAS INTENTION TO APPOINT HIS OWN SUCCESSOR AS HE DID PAK LAH & LATER ON NAJIB, WARNS PKR MAN – IF TRUE, THEN AZMIN WILL BE DR M’S NAJIB 2.0

PRIME Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s decision to maintain the Council of Eminent Persons (CEP) beyond 100 days of Pakatan Harapan (PH) being in power is proof that he does not want to give up his power.

PKR’s Kapar MP Abdullah Sani Abdul Hamid said this shows that Dr Mahathir was not ready to give up his post to PKR’s incoming president Anwar Ibrahim as agreed.

“There is news today that he (Dr Mahathir) has extended the CEP for a prolonged period. What does that mean? It means he is not ready to give the position to Anwar,”   Abdullah told reporters in Parliament today.

Abdullah Sani added there were several groups that wanted to prevent Anwar from becoming prime minister.

“There are several groups that are blocking Anwar from being PM,” he said.

The Anwar loyalist said Dr Mahathir should set a time frame and announce when he would be stepping down to allow Anwar to become prime minister.

“People want to know when he would give up his position,” he added.

He was referring to Dr Mahathir’s announcement earlier today that the CEP’s services were still required and that it would not be dissolved this weekend.

The CEP was formed by Dr Mahathir on May 12 and was tasked with advising the new PH government on economic and financial matters during the transition of power from the Barisan Nasional government.

The council is headed by former finance minister Daim Zainuddin. Other members include former Bank Negara governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz, former president and CEO of Petronas Hassan Merican, billionaire Robert Kuok and prominent economist Jomo Kwame Sundaram.

Following Dr Mahathir’s announcement, Economic Affairs Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali defended the move and said it did not mean the cabinet was ineffective.

“Clearly, the reports will come back to the cabinet for us to deliberate on and discuss,” Azmin had said.

Abdullah Sani’s criticism of Dr Mahathir today is a continuation of his attacks that both Dr Mahathir and Daim were backing Azmin in the PKR party polls as a way to stop Anwar from becoming the prime minister.

The Kapar MP is part of Rafizi Ramli’s team, who is challenging Azmin for the PKR deputy presidency.

THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT