Azmin As PM? Dream On, Says Anwar

(MMO) – Aspiring to become the prime minister is not wrong but it will continue to be a dream until one commands the majority support of the Parliament, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said in an apparent swipe at Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali.

In an interview with Turkish broadcaster TRT, the PKR president also revealed that he was never told by Azmin of the latter’s supposed intentions to become the next prime minister.

“It’s not a crime for anyone to aspire to become the prime minister but he has to enjoy the support of the majority and I think for now, until the meeting last week among the party leaders, there is no consideration of any other name,” Anwar said.

“People can dream, can aspire, but that does not mean that you are going to shake or scuttle the process, and furthermore, it has been duly agreed and signed so you have to then undo this process.

“There is no attempt or initiative to undo this,” he added in The Newsmakers show while attending the TRT World Forum in Istanbul, Turkey earlier this week.

The interview was uploaded on YouTube on Tuesday.

Anwar made the remark when asked about the growing speculation that Economics Affairs Minister Azmin can potentially supercede him to the post.

The Port Dickson MP was then pressed on whether he felt Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad will actually give way to him before the end of Pakatan Harapan’s first term.

He again replied in the affirmative, and reiterated how there is an agreement that has been signed by party leaders even before the 14th general election.

Anwar also expressed his trust in Dr Mahathir to fulfil his promise of making way, saying their relationship has been built on trust and there has been no indication for him to doubt it.

“But the issue is not Dr Mahathir or Anwar’s [choice], it’s not my decision, or Dr Mahathir’s personal decision.

“Ultimately it’s a decision of the majority of the House of Parliament and that’s what the system says, and as it stands there is no change whatsoever,” he said.

Anwar also revealed how it was not too difficult for him to forgive Dr Mahathir following their political fallout in the late 1990s, saying time itself was a remedy that allowed him to heal.

“Time is by itself a reprieve and with my age, I realised that there were so many things to be done than to be stuck with the old anger.

“It was not difficult, a lot of friends were a bit suspicious that I was just making a politically correct statement to say, well, let bygones be bygones; I said no, it was not too difficult,” he said.

Yesterday, Anwar insisted that the Pakatan Harapan leadership council will decide whether or not he is to replace Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad mid-term.

Azmin had on Tuesday come in support of Dr Mahathir serving out a full term as prime minister instead of passing the baton to Anwar as promised.