IN SURREAL POLITICS TYPICAL OF HIS MACHIAVELLI ERA, MAHATHIR INSISTS BERSATU STILL PART OF PAKATAN – WHILE ANWAR, WHO PERHAPS FED UP OF ‘BEING USED’, SKIPS JOINT PRESS MEETING

BERSATU is still part of Pakatan Harapan until otherwise decided by the party’s supreme council, said party chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“The Bersatu supreme council never decided to leave PH.

“As revealed in the audio recordings, (president) Muhyiddin Yassin gave me a week to decide, but before the week was up, he took the party out of the coalition,” said Dr Mahathir at a press conference at the Perdana Leadership Foundation in Putrajaya today.

“This is against the party constitution as he decided to take Bersatu out without the supreme council’s approval.

“He has also decided that Bersatu will be a Perikatan Nasional party without the consulting the supreme council,” said Dr Mahathir.

Anwar skips joint presser with Dr M, MP claims ‘he does not want to be used’

PKR president Anwar Ibrahim was absent from a Pakatan Harapan joint press conference with Bersatu chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Warisan.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a PKR lawmaker said Anwar was invited but was not keen about the press conference.

“Anwar said Tun (Mahathir) asked them for a joint-press conference but Anwar told PKR leaders that he did not want to be used,” the MP told Malaysiakini this afternoon.

However, PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil, when contacted, said Anwar had to attend an interview with the New York Times and the latter informed the other leaders to proceed without him.

He added that Anwar will issue a joint statement with the opposition leaders later but did not explain the absence of other PKR representatives at the press conference.

Amanah president Mohamad Sabu and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng were present on behalf of Harapan while Warisan president Shafie Apdal also attended.

Mahathir, who is Bersatu chairperson, took the lead during the press conference.

The seat beside him was occupied by Bersatu deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir instead.

The press conference at the Yayasan Perdana Leadership Foundation in Putrajaya was intended for the opposition to respond to the Parliament sitting this morning.

Several MPs, except for those from PKR, were also present clad in their ceremonial attire.

Quizzed on Anwar and PKR’s absence during the press conference, Mahathir replied: “He has sent a statement but is not able to attend.”

The former premier is engaged in a power struggle with his successor and Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin for control of the party.

Muhyiddin had pulled Bersatu out of Harapan to form the new Perikatan Nasional government with PKR defectors, BN, PAS, GPS, PBS and STAR while Mahathir wants Bersatu back in Harapan.

Following Bersatu’s exit, Mahathir could no longer hold the position of Harapan chairperson and Anwar has since been appointed as the new chair.

Some PKR leaders have expressed reluctance over the continued cooperation with Mahathir as they blame Bersatu for the collapse of the Harapan government.

Amanah and DAP, on the other hand, have been more receptive.

Anwar has also indicated a willingness to work with Mahathir but PKR appears to want the cooperation to be on its terms.

A press statement was issued after the press conference with Anwar being among the signatories.

The other signatories were Mahathir, Lim, Mohamad, Shafie and Upko president Wilfred Madius Tangau. Upko is a Warisan ally.