It’s just a perception, Redzuan says of claims that PPBM has abandoned principles

PPBM Supreme Council member Mohd Redzuan Yusof says Dr Mahathir Mohamad does not object to Muhyiddin Yassin becoming the next prime minister. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: PPBM Supreme Council member Mohd Redzuan Yusof has brushed off criticisms that his party had abandoned principles upheld by its chairman, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, following the decision to work with PAS and Umno in the wake of the country’s political crisis.

“It is just a perception. We cannot say people in a party are thieves or are bad.

“We have laws to deal with that,” the Alor Gajah MP told reporters when met outside PPBM president Muhyiddin Yassin’s private residence in Bukit Damansara here.

“So, we are not abandoning our principles.”

It was previously reported that Mahathir was against working with Umno en bloc under Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s leadership. Zahid is facing a slew of charges in court.

Mahathir yesterday said he would only accept those members who left Umno but suggested that Muhyiddin was more willing to accept Umno.

Redzuan also expressed confidence that if a new government is formed, it would be better than Pakatan Harapan, which came to power after the May 9 polls.

“The country’s economic growth is now stunted. But when the new government is formed, it will progress smoothly,” he said, although he refused to go into details.

On PPBM member A Kadir Jasin’s claim today that the Supreme Council had not endorsed Muhyiddin as the eighth prime minister, Redzuan said Mahathir had agreed with the party’s decision.

Mahathir, he said, did not object to the move.

“Mahathir said he had no objections and he repeated this several times.”

Kadir had earlier this evening said the Supreme Council was never invited for a discussion or informed about endorsing Muhyiddin for the top post.

“The council’s stand on this matter, made on Monday, is for Dr Mahathir (Mohamad) to remain as prime minister,” the veteran newsman said in a Facebook post.

Kadir said this in response to news that 36 PPBM MPs had nominated their president for the prime minister’s post at a meeting after Istana Negara’s announcement that it would meet political leaders before making a decision.

The country was thrown into a political quagmire after Mahathir resigned as prime minister and PPBM pulled out of the ruling coalition, leading to the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government. - FMT