PRIME Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad will step down to make way for Anwar Ibrahim in two years even though the timeline is not in black and white, said Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.

Responding to BBC’s HardTalk programme host Shaun Ley’s comments that “Dr Mahathir does not seem to be ready for retirement”, Syed Saddiq said the prime minister has stated that he will step down in two years’ time, “before the next general election” expected in 2022.

He said he knows the timeline is not in writing because he was one of those who signed the main handover agreement.

“I was one of the people who signed the agreement. There was no agreement that stated it (Dr Mahathir’s term) should be only for two years.

“The one who said it was Dr Mahathir himself.”

He denied that Dr Mahathir will refuse to hand over power to Anwar, the man who just five years ago described the now 93-year-old as being “not even qualified to become a menteri besar of one of the Malay states, never mind the prime minister”.

Even though there are calls for him to stay on and complete his term, Dr Mahathir has “mentioned and signalled many, many times” that he will step down, said Syed Saddiq.

On whether Dr Mahathir has changed his behaviour towards Anwar, he said people should judge the prime minister for what he is today.

Malaysia would never allow the past “to lock us or imprison us from moving forward”, said Syed Saddiq.

“If this government was based on caution, it would have never been able to win the (14th general) election.

“The reason why we were able to win was because these leaders were able to put their differences aside and unite for a common cause.” – January 23, 2019.