Things would be different if you didn't resign, PKR MP tells Dr M

PKR lawmaker Noor Amin Ahmad has hit out at Dr Mahathir Mohamad after the former premier's insistence that his resignation, which critics argued had led to the downfall of the Pakatan Harapan government, was a mere formality.

Taking to Twitter this evening, the Kangar MP claimed that things would have been different if Mahathir had not resigned as prime minister.

"If you called for an urgent Harapan meeting to inform and discuss the situation when you were still officially the PM, things would be different. I believe then we could still consolidate enough support.

"Unfortunately, you didn’t. It is as if that was your government, not Harapan's," he added.

Responding to Noor Amin, Mahathir's former press secretary Endie Shazlie Akhbar said the nonagenarian had discussed the matter with Harapan component party leaders on the morning of his resignation.

He said the discussion included Mahathir, PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, PKR advisor Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Amanah president Mohamad Sabu and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.

Noor Amin, however, insisted that Mahathir had tendered his resignation even prior to the meeting with the Harapan leaders.

"It sparked Bersatu to hold an emergency meeting that night. The rest, as they say, is history," he said.

Earlier today, Mahathir once again clarified the circumstances surrounding his resignation as prime minister and Harapan chairperson.

He claimed that at the time he was offered to lead a new coalition comprising Umno, PAS and Bersatu but turned it down. 

"I just could not accept the suggestion that I should be the prime minister of this unholy coalition.

"As (Prime Minister and Bersatu president) Muhyiddin (Yassin) was willing, I broke away from his group," he added.

Following Mahathir's resignation, Anwar said the former Bersatu chairperson was not involved in the attempt to create a new coalition government.

Anwar at the time also said he met with Mahathir and knew of the latter's intention to resign as prime minister and had pleaded with him not to do so. - Mkini