PETALING JAYA: A former MP has warned Pakatan Harapan that its mission to oust Barisan Nasional is now more complicated because it has named Dr Mahathir Mohamad as its prime-minister-designate.
Tawfik Ismail, who was the MP for Sungai Benut between 1986 and 1990, called the decision a “huge mistake”, saying all it had achieved was internal friction.
“Internal sabotage is very likely and we’re also likely to see the creation of an anti-Mahathir coalition,” he said.
Tawfik also questioned the wisdom of choosing a nonagenarian for the position. “He’s not the right man to fight Prime Minister Najib Razak. He’s been out of touch for too long.”
He pointed to the results of the Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Besar by-elections in 2016 as proof that Mahathir could not make an impact to benefit the opposition.
In Kuala Kangsar, BN’s Mastura Mohd Yazid beat candidates from PAS and Amanah, as well as an independent, to win by 6,969 votes.
In Sungai Besar, BN’s Budiman Mohd Zohdi beat PAS and Amanah candidates, winning by 9,191 votes.
Pakatan chief secretary Saifuddin Abdullah on Sunday ended months of speculation about the opposition alliance’s choice of a PM-designate when he named Mahathir at the PH’s annual convention.
PKR president Wan Azizah Ismail will become deputy prime minister if PH takes over the government in the coming general election.
The coalition made it clear that Mahathir would serve as “interim prime minister” while it pursued legal avenues to free Anwar Ibrahim from prison with the aim of eventually making him the country’s eighth prime minister.
PKR Selangor opposed the decision.
Sangeet Kaur Deo, a DAP member and daughter of its late leader Karpal Singh, yesterday criticised the choice, saying PH had shown that it lacked a long-term strategy. -FMT
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