PARLIAMENT | Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today that he welcomes Anwar Ibrahim's return to the Dewan Rakyat as the newly sworn-in MP for Port Dickson.
"Of course I'm happy. He's from the same party," Mahathir told reporters at the Parliament lobby this morning.
Loud applause was heard in the House as Anwar took his oath before Speaker Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof.
The de facto Pakatan Harapan leader's return to Parliament will put into place plans to have him succeed Mahathir as the eighth prime minister.
Both leaders have previously claimed that there were quarters seeking to engineer a rift between them.
Mahathir also told reporters today that Anwar's commanding win in Saturday's by-election was expected, given that it was a seven-way tussle involving PAS and five independents.
"We expected him to come back because with seven people contesting, the opposition will always be split up among the six, and number seven will win.
"And he won very big," said the prime minister, who is scheduled for a trip to Kedah this afternoon.
Asked about the trip, Mahathir said he was due to attend an official function with Kedah ruler Sultan Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah.
"I will be handing over a medal to the Kedah sultan. No other issues, all is good," he said.
Last Friday, rumours had surfaced that Mahathir's son, Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir, would take over the post of home minister from Muhyiddin Yassin, who has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
The viral social media message also claimed that Gurun assemblyperson Johari Abdul would replace Mukhriz as menteri besar.
Both Bersatu and the Kedah government denied the viral message, with Mukhriz's press officer terming the message "false and slanderous".
-Mkini
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