Responding to calls for him to immediately step down and hand over the baton to Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad today said Pakatan Harapan can sack him if they want.
The 94-year-old Bersatu chairperson told this to a press conference at the party’s headquarters this evening when asked if a quick transition between him and Anwar would be able to solve leadership issues in the Harapan coalition.
“Well, it is up to the party.
“They (Harapan presidential council) can sack me if they want to,” said Mahathir.
Following Harapan’s loss in the Tanjung Piai by-election last week, there have been growing calls for Mahathir to speed up the power transition to Anwar, who had been agreed upon by the Harapan presidential council to be the next prime minister.
However, according to Mahathir today, such transition would create problems if it was made “midstream”.
While it is not important what happens to him, he added, the impact on the country and government is very important.
“The thing is that if you have changes midstream, it is very confusing. It creates a lot of problems.
“But of course if I’m sacked I don’t know. But I think I need to be serious about this thing.
“What happens to me is not something important. But what happens to the government and the country is really important,” he said.
Asked on Anwar’s statement today that there would not be an attempt to move a vote of no confidence against him at the parliament, Mahathir sarcastically said “Thank you.”
However, he added later that anyone can make such a move as Malaysia is a democratic country.
“You can do whatever you want. We are democratic party, democratic nation.
“You can move a vote of non-confidence, or you can move a vote of confidence,” he said.
Asked for his comments on the level of support he commands in Harapan today, Mahathir said he believed there are still those who liked him.
“So far nobody punched me in the nose yet,” he quipped.
Leadership issues in the governing coalition appeared to be more apparent this week, with the latest being Economic Affairs Minister Azmin Ali, who is known to favour Mahathir over Anwar, reportedly holding a meeting with opposition Umno MPs on Monday evening. – mkini
Dr M: Pakatan can sack me if they want
PETALING JAYA, Nov 20 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today said the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition is welcomed to sack him from his prime minister’s post if they think it is the best decision for the country.
Dr Mahathir was responding to questions from the media over the possibility of power transition after the Bersatu candidate was defeated in a wide margin in the Tanjung Piai by-election recently.
In a related question, he also thanked PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for dismissing rumours that PH component leaders are planning to oust Dr Mahathir.
The Port Dickson MP told reporters in Parliament that a vote of no-confidence against Dr Mahathir had never been raised by any member of the PH presidential council or other senior coalition leaders.
“It is up to the party. They can sack me if they want.
“Thank you (Anwar). But if anybody wants to do it, they can do so. We are a free, democratic party and country. Anybody can move a vote of no confidence, or even a vote of confidence for me,” he told a press conference after chairing the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) supreme council meeting today.
When pressed about the support he has, Mahathir remained calm and even joked that although people did not love him, they still like him enough for him to remain as prime minister.
“So far nobody have punched me they all salam (shake hands with) me. Wherever I go people will take pictures … selfies with me. I think there are still people who like me. Not love me but like,” he said.
On Monday, several PH lawmakers have called for Dr Mahathir to quit after the by-election which saw MCA wrestle back the Tanjung Piai Parliamentary seat with over 15,000 majority, the heaviest losses by the coalition since 2018.
Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim said Dr Mahathir should emulate David Cameron, who resigned as the UK Prime Minister in 2016, for failing to prevent the United Kingdom from leaving the European Union (EU).
Kapar lawmaker Datuk Abdullah Sani Abdul Hamid from PKR said the Pakatan leadership is currently without any solid policies.
Klang DAP MP Charles Santiago reportedly said Mahathir’s position should be discussed in PH Presidential Council meeting. – malay mail
MKINI / MALAY MAIL
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