PRIME Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has no right to determine when he should be handing over his post to Anwar Ibrahim, said PKR stalwart Dr Syed Husin Ali.

Instead, he said, the Pakatan Harapan presidential council has the power to instruct Dr Mahathir on when he should give up his post to Anwar.

“Those who prefer Dr Mahathir to continue until the next GE know that the presidential council can remove him at any time because he represents a small party,” he said in a statement today.

Syed Husin’s statement today follows his remarks yesterday in urging Dr Mahathir not to wait too long before handing over power to Anwar, adding that he doubted whether Dr Mahathir would make good on his promise to step aside.

Today, the former academic continued his attacks on Dr Mahathir by describing the prime minister’s promise to save the country during the election campaign as nothing more than a lie.

“He now wants to save his power and believes he is the only one that can save the country.

“His speech in New York where he said his successor is not yet capable (to take over) was a betrayal and an insult to PH.

“We ask the PH presidential council: if a political anarchy is to happen because of Dr Mahathir, they will have to bear the responsibility,” the lifelong socialist said.

He also said the people were wondering whether Dr Mahathir was manipulating PH leaders.

“Have they all not realised Dr Mahathir’s political game is destroying the consensus agreed by all parties before the general election,” Syed Husin added.

Syed Husin, who was also imprisoned under the now defunct ISA for six years, also slammed Dr Mahathir for claiming he worked 18 hours a day.

“He has gone too far and even had the guts to lie at an international forum claiming he worked 18 hours a day.

“What kind of work are you doing when the country is collapsing? Does he not eat, sleep, pray or rest. Is he not human?” Syed Husin said.

“It is now clear that Dr Mahathir is not honest, and if he truly loves his country he should step down and let Anwar, who is 22 years his younger, take the job,” he said.

Earlier this week Dr Mahathir said he will serve three years at most before stepping down.

“I promised I would step down before the next election and give way to another candidate, so I may have at the most three years perhaps,” he said at a dialogue organised by the Council on Foreign Relations in New York on Thursday. – September 29, 2019.