ANWAR Ibrahim expects to become prime minister around 2020, Bloomberg Television reports.

In an interview with the business news channel, the PKR president dismissed others who could be vying for the office, saying they might have “ambitions” but were  “irrelevant”.

“There is no sign of any party introducing or promoting or lobbying for other names,“ the Port Dickson MP was quoted as saying.

Anwar’s succession is technically a given as it was agreed between the partners in Pakatan Harapan prior to the elections.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad is expected to hand over the reins in about two years.

Since PH won federal power last year, speculation had been rife over the timeline for the transfer of power. 

Political rivals, too, have bickered over the succession plan. Anwar’s deputy in PKR, Mohamed Azmin Ali, who is at the centre of a sex video scandal which he denies, has urged Dr Mahathir to serve out a full term for the sake of national stability.

Both Dr Mahathir and Anwar have repeatedly reiterated that the handover of office will take place as agreed.  Most recently on August 30,  the 94-year-old Dr Mahathir repeated his promise to step down before the end of the five-year term in 2023, to make way for Anwar, 72. – September 18, 2019.