Why back Bersatu's Harapan exit if I had full support, Dr M says

Bersatu chairperson-elect Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he saw no reason for Bersatu to quit Pakatan Harapan as the coalition had given him his full support.

This was after Bersatu information chief Radzi Jidin accused the nonagenarian of supporting the party's exit from Harapan before having a last-minute change of heart.

In a video message today, Mahathir said he did not see the need to leave Harapan following a meeting on Feb 21, where the coalition ultimately left it up to him to set a date for when he would resign as prime minister.

"So I told Muhyiddin, because I had full backing, what was the reason to quit Harapan?

"If there was another reason then wait. If there is another reason I would leave Harapan" he said.

The meeting on Feb 21 had been an intense session according to sources that spoke to Malaysiakini then.

Mahathir was being pressured to set a date to step down and make way for Anwar Ibrahim, and Bersatu had responded with a threat to quit the coalition.

Muhyiddin, who would ultimately make good on that threat just three days later, was said to have played a diplomatic role, stating Mahathir and Anwar should suss out the transition issue themselves.

Mahathir said today, that despite getting Harapan ultimately giving him their full support, Muhyiddin felt there was an urgent need for Bersatu to leave the coalition.

"Muhyiddin felt that if we did not leave, the Malays would be destroyed by DAP.

"However, I was not convinced that DAP could so easily destroy the Malays," he said.

He said his advice was ignored and Bersatu went ahead with the move to quit Harapan on Feb 24.

Mahathir was speaking in a video explaining why he had quit as Bersatu chairperson.

The position is now in contention despite the Bersatu supreme council having rejected Mahathir's resignation.

Muhyiddin's faction says he is now the acting chairperson as there is no provision for the supreme council to reappoint someone to the position.

The Bersatu chairperson position is the ultimate authority in the party.

Mahathir had won the position uncontested in the on-going Bersatu party elections, the outcome of which is yet to be formalised.

Muhyiddin's camp is allegedly plotting to sack Mahathir and his son Mukhriz for siding with Harapan, but a meeting to discuss this today had been scuttled.

The two men are expected to have a showdown when Parliament convenes on May 18, with the nonagenarian having submitted a motion of no confidence against the prime minister. - Mkini