Azmin was middleman for PAS and Dr M, says Ezam

Azmin Ali was alleged to be the go-between who arranged meetings that PAS leaders held with Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

SUNGAI BULOH: A former political secretary of Anwar Ibrahim has claimed that PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali acted as a go-between for senior PAS leaders to meet Pakatan Harapan chairman and prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The former aide, Ezam Mohd Nor, also alleged that Azmin was behind other moves to prevent PKR president Anwar from becoming prime minister.

“People ask me how do I know, today I tell you, I know because Azmin told me, in fact he told me more than that,” he said, declining to say more.

Azmin was non-committal when asked about Ezam’s accusation this evening.

“I will ask a branch chief to respond to him,” he told reporters after attending a constituency Chinese New Year celebration in Ampang.

Ezam’s revelation comes in the midst of talk about a new alliance among Malay-based parties and those aligned to Mahathir to ensure he remains in power for the rest of his term. PAS has also said it would table a Dewan Rakyat vote of confidence in Mahathir as prime minister.

Mahathir has been known to have held private meetings with PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, among others, with the latest meeting apparently with Dr Samsuri Mokhtar, who is menteri besar of the PAS-led Terengganu state government.

Yesterday, Ezam said a senior PKR leader had been the middleman in arranging for PAS leaders to meet Mahathir in London.

Ezam also alleged that the Malay Dignity Congress organised last year was an attempt to stop Anwar from becoming PM.

Anwar was a notable absentee at the congress, which was attended by Malay leaders from other parties including Hadi and Umno secretary-general Annuar Musa.

“Anwar wasn’t invited. Is Anwar not Malay?” Ezam said at a current affairs forum called Kupasan Politik Semasa, organised by Gerakan Reformasi Perform.

Ezam said Anwar was not shaken, and would not budge from the reformasi struggle “or bow to narrow racial politics which will distract from the reforms against the elite and corrupt”.

PAS has said it plans to table a motion of confidence for Mahathir in Parliament to “save Malaysia”.

Anwar and Mahathir have been at odds about when Mahathir would hand over power to Anwar under the terms of an agreement among Pakatan Harapan leaders made before the coalition won the general election last year.

Mahathir has said he would keep his promise and hand over after the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in November. - FMT