Dr M or Anwar? Harapan and allies expected to name PM candidate

Pakatan Harapan and its allies, dubbed “PH Plus”, are expected to announce their candidate for the prime minister's post following this afternoon's meeting, according to sources.

Sources said the meeting which is taking place at the PKR headquarters in Petaling Jaya is to formalise the decision.

"You can expect an announcement of PH Plus' candidate for PM later today," one source told Malaysiakini.

Based on the information from sources, Malaysiakini understands that the top leaders have reached a decision following a series of discussions.

According to one Harapan component party member, the past week witnessed a slew of meetings between the leaders and a consensus was reached.

As expected, the choice is between two men who have dominated the Malaysian political landscape for more than two decades – Bersatu's disputed chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad and PKR president Anwar Ibrahim.

Malaysiakini also learnt that several Harapan leaders wanted Mahathir to be named as prime minister again despite Anwar being the coalition's chairperson.

Sources claimed this had irked Anwar, who then chose not to attend meetings with Mahathir.

This included a meeting at the Yayasan Al-Bukhary building in Kuala Lumpur last week, which was attended by DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, Amanah president Mohamad Sabu and Warisan president Mohd Shafie Apdal and others.

A source close to Mahathir's faction in Bersatu told Malaysiakini that Anwar was expected to be present at the June 4 meeting.

Meanwhile, a source from Anwar's camp confirmed the matter.

"He did not want to see Tun M (Mahathir) at all," the source told Malaysiakini.

The same source also revealed that the description “PH Plus” might continue to be utilised in order to accommodate MPs who are not members of Harapan.

This would also ensure that Mahathir and four other Bersatu MPs, who are challenging the nullification of their membership, need not join another political party.

Mahathir is embroiled in a tussle with Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin for control of the party.

Should Mahathir be named as the prime minister candidate and if “PH Plus” manages to dislodge the Perikatan Nasional government, which is holding on to power with a razor-thin majority of two seats, it would mean that the nonagenarian would helm the nation for the third time since 1981.

His first tenure lasted 22 years whereas his second stint as prime minister ended after 22 months following a political coup which led to Harapan losing federal power.

After a week-long political crisis, Muhyiddin was sworn-in as the eighth prime minister on March 2. - Mkini