PM POWER TRANSITION
PH Presidential Council gives Dr Mahathir power to decide when to step down
PUTRAJAYA: No date has been fixed for Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to hand over the post of prime minister to his successor.
Dr Mahathir said the Pakatan Harapan (PH) Presidential Council meeting Friday night decided that he would determine when to step down.
“I’ve already said (it’s) after the Apec (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Summit (in November). No time…no date…nothing. It’s up to me to determine the date,” he told a press conference after chairing the meeting at the Perdana Leadership Foundation here Friday night.
Dr Mahathir, who is PH chairman, said it was a unanimous decision made by the meeting.
The meeting, which lasted about three hours, was attended by PH president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and Parti Amanah Negara president Mohamad Sabu.
Asked if the meeting also agreed that Anwar would be the eighth prime minister, Dr Mahathir said: “That doesn’t arise. The position is for me to make the decision after Apec.”
Anwar, who was seated next to Dr Mahathir during the press conference, said: “I myself suggested that Tun Dr Mahathir be given the space to administer and when the time comes (for the handover) …he will fix a suitable date, and in the meantime, I have to be patient.
“Our stand is clear, no doubts; our commitment is to ensure that Tun Dr Mahathir as prime minister can discharge his duties with (our) full support. This was not questioned.”
Dr Mahathir said the most important matter decided at the meeting was that he himself would determine the transition date.
“They left it to me. What I say, they will follow. It’s up to me. That is the trust given by the party (coalition) to me. Alhamdulilah (Praise be to God),” he said.
Dr Mahathir said the meeting also discussed among others component party matters and preparations for the Sarawak state election.
“We discussed the (next) Sarawak state election and we will determine our candidates to ensure that there is no clash among component parties,” he added.
He said the meeting did not discuss the issue of cabinet reshuffle.
Dr Mahathir said PH also would be holding a convention and that the date would be decided later. –Bernama
