Anwar tells Dr M to take care of his health, unable to meet Hadi at IJN

 

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has refused to be drawn into a mudslinging match with his predecessor Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“I want to tell Tun to take care of his health,” he responded with a smile when quizzed on Mahathir’s latest remarks at the sidelines of an event in Kuala Lumpur today.

Anwar and Mahathir’s acrimonious relationship has spanned over two decades with a brief truce when Pakatan Harapan collaborated with the 98-year-old politician to take down a common foe - former premier Najib Abdul Razak - in the 2018 general election.

However, since the last general election, in which Mahathir was decimated, he has been on the offensive against Anwar and aligned himself with the opposition Perikatan Nasional.

Mahathir’s feathers were ruffled further when MACC launched an investigation into his close associate and former finance minister Daim Zainuddin.

In a social media post this morning, Mahathir denied involvement in the alleged Dubai Move to topple the current administration.

He also fired a sarcastic salvo at Anwar, describing the latter as an “expert” in attempts to form backdoor governments.

The Dubai Move came to light after Community Communications Department (J-Kom) deputy director-general Ismail Yusop claimed that PN and government backbenchers met in the United Arab Emirates.

Following this, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi confirmed the matter but dismissed the alleged plot as a waste of time.

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, who in the past confessed to masterminding the Sheraton Move which led to the collapse of the Harapan government in 2020, said the coalition need not lure MPs with money and promises as it believes in democratic ideals.

Unable to meet Hadi

Meanwhile, Bernama reported that Anwar went to the National Heart Institute (IJN) in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon to visit Hadi and his friend Ziauddin Sardar.

However, an aide to Hadi informed Malaysiakini later that Anwar was unable to meet the PAS president as the latter was undergoing treatment at the time.

He also said that Hadi’s condition is stable.

The 76-year-old PAS leader is a heart patient and underwent valve surgery at IJN in 2017.

Yesterday, Malaysiakini reported analysts as stating that political plots are expected to grind to a halt when Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar becomes the Yang di-Pertuan Agong next since he has stressed the importance of restoring order.

The current king, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, whose reign will end on Jan 31, became the first Malaysian monarch to swear in three prime ministers, including Anwar. - Mkini