SABAH Chief Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal remains the prime ministerial choice for the six Bersatu rebel MPs and Warisan, said Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The former prime minister said this in a joint statement with the other five Bersatu lawmakers from his faction in championing Shafie to be prime minister instead of Anwar Ibrahim, which Pakatan Harapan backs.

“Even though the PH presidential council named Anwar as the prime ministerial candidate, it did not invite me or my other friends from Bersatu or Warisan.

“After several discussions, my parliamentarian friends and I from Bersatu have made a decision to stick with a decision made in June for Warisan president Shafie to be the candidate for prime minister,” Dr Mahathir said in the statement today.

The other signatories are Mukhriz Mahathir (Jerlun), Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (Muar), Maszlee Malik (Simpang Renggam), Amiruddin Hamzah (Kubang Pasu) and Shahruddin Md Salleh (Sri Gading).

This comes after DAP and Amanah initially backed Shafie to become prime minister, then backtracked their support to prop Anwar up for the top spot after a PH presidential council meeting last Monday.

Dr Mahathir said naming Shafie as the prime ministerial candidate is a positive move to improve relations, especially with Sabah and Sarawak.

“It is not only that we believe he is able to gain the support of the majority, but it also is a step forward to improve relations between the peninsula and Sabah and Sarawak,” the Langkawi lawmaker added.

The six also said they will remain independent, with Warisan on the opposition bloc, and not join any coalition for now.

“We have also decided to remain with Warisan as an independent bloc in Parliament and outside. We are not combining with any coalition.”

Dr Mahathir also slammed the Perikatan Nasional government for wanting to change the Dewan Rakyat speaker and assured he will keep trying to table a motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

“We are also against any attempt to replace the speaker and will continue the vote of no confidence against Muhyiddin Yassin, who formed a government without the people’s mandate,” he said.

On June 27, Dr Mahathir threw his support behind Shafie as the prime ministerial candidate for Pakatan Harapan Plus. – July 10, 2020.