‘MR COMPLOT’ TUNKU AZIZ GETS HIS JUST DESERTS FOR BEING NAJIB’S BARKING DOG: ‘THERE WAS NEVER ANY SECRET PACT BETWEEN MY FATHER & KIT SIANG TO MAKE ME PM’- MUKHRIZ TELLS COURT

KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir today denied that his father Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang had a secret pact to make him prime minister if Pakatan Harapan (PH) takes over Putrajaya.

In a witness statement in his defamation lawsuit against former DAP leader Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim, Mukhriz said the impression given by Tunku Abdul Aziz’s remarks that he was and still is directly involved in such an alleged secret complot was false.

“First of all, there has never been a ‘secret deal’ or ‘secret pact’ between Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Lim Kit Siang that was kept hidden from the leaders of opposition parties, and voters and Malaysians in general, that I will be appointed as prime minister and Lim Kit Siang as deputy prime minister if the Opposition pact wins the 14th general election in the future,” he said in the court document that was tendered in court today.

“Secondly, I have never announced to any media that I allegedly have ambitions to become a prime minister,” said Mukhriz, who is currently the deputy president of opposition party Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM).

“However, I also say that it is not a crime or wrong for any politicians that wish to provide pure and transparent leadership services to have those intentions, as long as it is in a legitimate, correct manner and for the interests of society,” he added.

In the same witness statement, Mukhriz was asked if he — as a politician and PPBM deputy president — harboured the intentions of becoming a prime minister.

In his reply, Mukhriz stopped short of confirming such an ambition.

“Everyone who is in the political arena would certainly have the intentions to be a leader, including to be prime minister. However, that intention has to be borne out of a pure and noble heart as the responsibility and trust that will be shouldered is a big national trust.

“I also harbour the intentions of becoming a ‘pemimpin’ (leader). But, it has to be through a true and transparent route, not through the methods of deceit or complot or evil pacts or secret pacts as claimed by the defendant through the defendant’s statements,” he said.

Today was the hearing for Mukhriz’s defamation suit against Tunku Abdul Aziz over the latter’s December 30, 2016 statement that alleged such a secret plot, as well as over the latter’s January 3 statement.

Dr Mahathir, a former prime minister, is now the chairman of both PPBM and PH.

Last weekend, Pakatan Harapan declared Dr Mahathir as the PM designate and PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as the deputy PM designate if Pakatan Harapan wins the 14th general elections that must be called by this August.

– Malay Mail