EVEN A ‘HATED’ CHINESE & A NON-MUSLIM CAN BE PM? CONTRADICTING HADI, ZAHID SAYS ANY MALAYSIAN CAN HOLD THE NO.1 POST – BUT HOW FAST WILL HE U-TURN UNDER PRESSURE FROM ULTRA-MALAY GROUPS?

SHAH ALAM – Any Malaysian, regardless of their background can become the prime minister according to the Federal Constitution, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pix)said.

He said the constitution has provided that anyone who manages to receive majority support in the Parliament can assume the No. 1 post in the government.

“Anyone can become (the prime minister). The constitution states that the leader of any (political) party who receives the majority support can become the head of the council.

In this case, the head of the Parliament and thus becoming the head of the government,” he told a press conference after attending the flagging off of the 2018 Antarctica Charity Run at Karangkraf.

He was commenting on a statement by Pakatan Harapan president Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail on Saturday who said that the opposition coalition was willing to name a female as its prime minister candidate.

It was reported previously that the coalition had agreed to name its chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as an interim prime minister and Wan Azizah as the deputy, but was hindered by an objection from PKR.

The coalition is expected to announce its prime minister candidate at the Pakatan Harapan convention today.

Ahmad Zahid said the rakyat have to place their confidence on the government, as what had been done by the current administration was better than that promised by the opposition.

Commenting on Wan Azizah’s remark on the release of Pakatan Harapan de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim from jail on June 11, Ahmad Zahid said the Prisons Department would respect the decision made by the court.

“The Prisons Department will adhere to the term of a detainee and the government will respect the decision made by court,” he said.

He said the date announced by Wan Azizah yesterday was only the expected date of release.

“However, if the ‘big day’ is made earlier, then it might be too late (for Anwar) to become an important figure in the country,” he said, with the big day believed to be referring to the 14th General Election.

– Sundaily