PRIME Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has reiterated his promise to hand over power to PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, saying he will keep his word despite a recent sexual misconduct allegation against the latter.

Dr Mahathir was quoted as saying in a Reuters report, however, that he will only do so after a Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) that Malaysia is set to host in November 2020.

“I made a promise to hand over and I will, but a change immediately before the Apec summit would be disruptive.

“As far as I’m concerned, I’m stepping down and I’m handing over the baton to him (Anwar). If people don’t want him, that’s their business, but I will do my part as promised, irrespective of whatever allegation. I made my promise, I keep my promise,” he said.

Dr Mahathir’s promise to hand over power to Anwar has been a sticking point in Pakatan Harapan (PH) since the coalition won the 14th general election on May 9 last year.

While the component parties in PH had agreed that the 94-year-old would step down in two years after winning federal power, no definitive date or timeline has been decided.

Anwar has also been accused of attempting to force a former PKR researcher, Muhammad Yusoff Rawther, to have sex with him recently.

The Port Dickson MP denied the allegation and police have launched an investigation into the case after Yusoff lodged a police report over the matter.

This comes amid heightened infighting within PKR, in which deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali and his supporters are openly feuding with Anwar’s camp.

Azmin was also implicated in a sex scandal earlier this year in June, in which he was allegedly caught on video having sex with another man. – December 10, 2019.