MAHATHIR VS ANWAR – A MASSIVE FINAL SHOWDOWN IN MARCH: BRING IT ON – BUT ‘BLUR & DISHONEST’ PAS LIKELY TO CHICKEN OUT OF ‘CONFIDENCE VOTE’ – A MOVE EXPECTED TO BOOMERANG & HELP PUT ANWAR IN POWER AHEAD OF DEADLINE

PAS plans to discuss with partners Umno its proposal to move a vote of confidence in the leadership of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad for him to continue his premiership until the end of his current term.

PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man told the press that the discussion would be held tomorrow.

He was speaking at a press conference following the opening of the 2020 National Welfare Convention at the Tun Hussein Onn Town Hall today.

Repeating his statement yesterday, Tuan Ibrahim commented that PAS said the matter should be put to a vote in parliament in view of the political instability in the country due to disagreements over the promised transition of the prime minister’s post to Anwar Ibrahim.

“As Mahathir himself says, parliamentarians decide whether he should continue or he should resign,” said Tuan Ibrahim.

What Mahathir actually told The Malaya Post yesterday was that he respected his commitment to hand over his post to Anwar as agreed upon before the 14th general election.

However, he added that Anwar would need to command the support of a majority vote of the MPs in the Dewan Rakyat.

Today, when asked by reporters whether PAS had discussed the matter with Umno before announcing the proposal yesterday, Tuan Ibrahim replied “never”, yet went on to describe his idea as “under discussion”.

The matter will be discussed at the Muakafat Nasional consultative committee meeting to be held tomorrow at the Putra World Trade Center at 8pm.

Yesterday, Umno secretary-general Annuar Musa said he was of the opinion that PAS had the right to bring the motion, but argued that Umno should not be a “busybody” on issues facing Harapan.

Asked by reporters on the views that a vote of confidence could not be brought by an opposition party, Tuan Ibrahim said it was a private proposal and could be taken by any MP and it was up to the House of Representatives to either accept or reject it.

He declined to answer if PAS would continue with its plan to introduce the motion if it did not receive support from Umno during tomorrow night’s meeting.

MKINI