NO one in Pakatan Harapan is pushing for a motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said in dismissing claims by PAS.

PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan had said that two PH component parties planned to hold a no-confidence vote against the prime minister, and that his party would support Dr Mahathir when this happened.

“This is a false accusation, with elements of slander and lies,” Lim said in a statement today.

“I wish to stress that Pakatan Harapan wholly supports the prime minister’s leadership and rejects, in the strongest terms possible, any suggestion otherwise.

“There is no PH component or any PH leader who expressed lack of support or wanted to cast a vote of no confidence against Dr Mahathir’s leadership, whether within or without the PH presidential council.

“In fact, those who have been opposing Dr Mahathir’s leadership have been none other than PAS themselves.”

Lim added that Takiyuddin was only trying to divert attention away from allegations that the Islamist party’s leadership had received money from Umno. 

“I hope Takiyuddin can show evidence for his evil allegation. Unless he does so, Takiyuddin is only irresponsible and without honour, and is playing a trick to avoid the real issue.” 

Lim said PAS should instead focus on addressing allegations raised by whistle-blower site Sarawak Report on the party receiving RM90 million from Umno.

“It is heartbreaking to see that what remains of PAS’ struggle today is a series of lies from its leadership following this scandal of receiving money from Umno,” he said.

Yesterday, Takiyuddin had said his party promised to support Dr Mahathir in the event of a no-confidence vote in Parliament against the prime minister.

He had said the party’s position should a vote of no-confidence come to pass was among several issues discussed during a closed-door meeting with Dr Mahathir on Friday.

He had also said PAS would not back PH in the Semenyih by-election.

“The three of us – (PAS president) Abdul Hadi Awang, (Terengganu Menteri Besar) Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar and I signed a letter saying we would back Dr Mahathir should a vote of no confidence take place in Parliament.

“It has nothing to do with the Semenyih by-election,” Takiyuddin had said after a meeting with Umno at the Barisan Nasional election operations room in Semenyih last night.

Earlier today, PKR president Anwar had refused to be drawn into the issue, saying that PAS was playing up the plot against Dr Mahathir issue to divert the people’s attention away from its alleged wrongdoing.

“PAS permits lying. So, we do not know if their position is a lie or the truth. I wouldn’t know, you have to ask them,” he had said in Shah Alam today.

“I don’t want to entertain it (the plot) as in my communications with the prime minister, it was never raised nor was it raised by parties in PH.

“This is only a narrative by PAS to evade investigation on the RM90 million.” – February 18, 2019.