Stay out of Mahathir-TMJ spat, Zuraida tells PH leaders

PKR vice-president Zuraida Kamaruddin.

PUTRAJAYA: A minister today urged Pakatan Harapan leaders to stay out of the spat between the Johor palace and Dr Mahathir Mohamad, as several PPBM leaders came in defence of the prime minister.

“Let Tun (Mahathir) handle the sultan. When it comes to our turn, we will (then) handle the sultan,” said PKR vice-president Zuraida Kamaruddin.

Yesterday, PPBM Youth chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, questioned Johor crown prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim over remarks calling for the prime minister’s resignation.

“My question to TMJ (Tunku Ismail) is: why, when the whole world knew Malaysia as a kleptocracy, TMJ did not say ‘tukar Najib’ (replace Najib) but now he is asking to change a prime minister that has been given the mandate by the people?” Syed Saddiq asked in an Instagram post, in response to a video recording of Tunku Ismail’s cheeky reply to a football supporter last week, that instead of changing the Johor football coach, it would be better to change the prime minister.

Zuraida described the war of words between Tunku Ismail and Mahathir as being “on a different level”.

Ties between the Johor palace and Mahathir appear to have soured recently in the wake of the resignation of Osman Sapian as the Johor menteri besar.

There was speculation that Mahathir was upset with the move to reshuffle the Johor state exco line-up under newly appointed menteri besar Dr Sahruddin Jamal, which went against a party decision.

Mahathir had also come under attack from TMJ over the move to ratify the Rome Statute. Putrajaya has since withdrawn from the treaty citing attempts to mislead the Malay rulers. - FMT