FIVE general elections won with two-thirds majority is proof that Dr Mahathir Mohamad has the support of the Malays, says Bersatu supreme council member Rais Hussin.

Rais rebuked Umno information chief Annuar Musa’s claims on Wednesday that the former prime minister had never commanded strong Malay support.

“Dr Mahathir had gone through five GEs. And in all five GEs, he had two-thirds majority. 

“That speaks volumes of his capabilities in running the nation and bringing people together,” Rais said today at the Bersatu headquarters in Petaling Jaya.

With him was Bersatu deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir.

“I think Annuar is just trying to earn his living. He talks about things that are completely out of the sphere of logic.

“Results speak volume. Dr Mahathir delivered five elections with two-thirds majority. That in itself is enough to showcase the person and the leadership (support) he had at that time,” said Rais, who heads the party’s policy and strategy bureau.

Dr Mahathir, who was prime minister for 22 years, chairs both Bersatu and the opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan.

Annuar had told an online Umno forum that he had faced difficulties garnering Malay support under Dr Mahathir’s administration.

“The Malays who follow PAS had, for a long time, rejected Mahathir,” said the Ketereh MP.

“The Malays who did support him did so because of his Umno-ness, not for his Mahathir-ness.

“Those who followed Mahathir because of Mahathir were few,” he said. 

Annuar had said that the opposition was using Dr Mahathir to draw whatever remaining support the prime minister has from Umno, adding that such an effort will fail. 

Meanwhile, Mukhriz said the results of the next general election will reveal the true support his father enjoys.

“He (Annuar) can say whatever he likes but I think deeds will be taken more seriously than mere words coming from the Umno information chief,” said the former Kedah MB. 

Malays form 50.8% of the Malaysian population, according to the Statistics Department’s 2010 population census. – December 22, 2017.