Should Pakatan Harapan name Dr Mahathir Mohamad as its prime minister candidate, it would be the second time that Mahathir prevents Anwar Ibrahim from helming the nation, according to Gerakan Youth chief Tan Keng Liang.
This was Tan's take on Mahathir's latest statement that he might be forced to reconsider his position on not wanting to be prime minister again if the opposition coalition wants him to helm the nation.
“Not surprised if Tun M (Mahathir) will be Pakatan's designated PM. Second time removing Anwar's chance to be PM since 1988. Well done!
“If you think you have seen it all in politics, wait when u see Tun M named as Pakatan PM. Second time deposing Anwar Ibrahim since 1998,” Tan tweeted.
In a live Facebook session this morning, Mahathir said he cannot ignore the wishes of his friends in the opposition coalition.
“If they have such a plan and if it is agreed upon, I may be forced to consider," he said in response to a question on him becoming prime minister again.
Mahathir, 92, is now chairperson of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu). He was prime minister from 1981 to 2003.
Mahathir in 1998 sacked Anwar as deputy prime minister, which laid the foundation for the emergence of a new opposition political force.
Anwar, the former opposition leader, is currently serving a five-year prison term for a sexual offence, which he claims was trumped up by his political adversaries.
At the earliest, he is slated to be freed next year but would be barred from participating in active politics in the absence of a royal pardon.
However, Tan believes that Mahathir is a better choice than Anwar for the post of prime minister, should the opposition win the next general election.
“Let's face reality. Tun M a much better choice than Anwar as Pakatan PM. At least, he wasn't convicted of a sexual crime,” he said.
The debate on who would be Pakatan's prime minister candidate was revived when PKR leaders held up placards during their recent congress, proclaiming Anwar as the nation's next prime minister.
DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang and Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) president Mohamad Sabu had also raised the placards, but Mahathir and Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin did not.
Following this, former law minister Zaid Ibrahim chided PKR over the placards, claiming that it was disrespectful to Mahathir and Muhyiddin.
On the other hand, Bersatu Youth chief Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman called for an independent survey to determine who Malaysians want as prime minister if Harapan takes Putrajaya.
However, PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli was adamant that Anwar is still a relevant force and suggested that the jailed politician's wife and PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail serves as interim prime minister until her husband is released.
A poll by Malaysiakini also revealed overwhelming support for Mahathir to be prime minister of the opposition wins Putrajaya. -Mkini
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