PAKATAN Harapan (PH) is here to stay and will not fall apart, said Amanah communications director Khalid Abdul Samad amid talk of efforts to forge a new coalition – Pakatan Nasional.

Khalid, who is also federal territories minister, said PH chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad will not betray the coalition that he led to victory in the last election nor betray his legacy.

“I have been with Dr Mahathir in the cabinet for a year and I feel he will take care of his legacy that has improved since PH captured power.

“He will not betray the pact and I am confident of this. Now Dr Mahathir is the hero who has brought change by toppling a kleptocratic government.

“He is being praised as someone who has saved Malaysia. What will happen if he dumped PH for Pakatan Nasional. What will the public say about him then?” he asked during an interview with Jom Channel last night.

Khalid’s comments came after Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi suggested the party co-operate with Dr Mahathir and Bersatu for the sake of Umno’s own survival and future.

The proposal was announced by Umno supreme council member Lokman Noor Adam two days ago.

Lokman said Zahid gave reasons Umno should co-operate, partly because PAS had already done so and Umno should not be left behind.

The matter is on the agenda for the Umno supreme council meeting tomorrow.

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang had said he would support Dr Mahathir and backed him to complete to term as prime minister.

Khalid said Dr Mahathir came out of retirement to join forces with his former political nemesis to lead the coalition to victory in the May 2018 general election.

“In PH, although we have a history, we acknowledge that we won the general election only because of Tun Mahathir,” he said, adding that the willingness of Dr Mahathir, who is former Umno president, moved the public to vote PH into power.

He added the PH presidential council will deal with the transition of power between Dr Mahathir and PKR president Anwar Ibrahim and it is not something up for speculation.

“The PH council will settle the transition,” he said, adding any talk of unhappiness is misplaced.

Khalid said talks of Pakatan Nasional is an attempt to pit PH members against each other.

“The efforts to form Pakatan Nasional will go on. But from what we know, there are divisions within Umno… there is Najib’s gang, Zahid’s gang and Hishammuddin’s gang.”

“They want to use this to make us (PH) distrust and suspect each other. In reality, they are fighting among themselves.” – February 6, 2020.