THERE is no need for the Pakatan Harapan presidential council to hold a meeting just to discuss whether Dr Mahathir Mohamad should step down in May or November, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said.

All parties should be calm and not rush the transition issue, despite calls from some in PKR for the prime minister to hand over power to PKR president Anwar Ibrahim in May, he added.

“When Dr Mahathir said he is ready to go if the PH presidential council wants him to, he means the if the council is not satisfied with him and wants him to resign, the council can decide on this, and he himself has said this before in presidential council meetings.

“There is no need for the council to hold a special meeting just to discuss this, because he has already said he will step down in November,” Lim told reporters in Putrajaya today.

Lim said he is concerned that pressure on Dr Mahathir to give way sooner than November will create instability.

“Let him be the one to decide on the transition schedule and ensure that it goes smoothly without any distractions.

“Only by leaving it to him can we be ensured of a smooth transition,” said Lim, who is also the finance minister.

Lim was asked about calls from PKR MPs who told a forum on the transition issue on Monday night that it is better for Dr Mahathir to step down in May instead of November.

The PKR MPs, who included Wong Chen, Chang Lih Kang and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, said a May deadline will give Anwar time to implement his policies and win over voters before the next general election, which is due in 2023.

Dr Mahathir, however, said previously that he will hand over power after hosting the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit that Malaysia is hosting in Kuala Lumpur.

Lim, reiterating that Dr Mahathir shouldn’t be rushed into handing over the prime minister’s post and the importance of a smooth transition, said it is necessary for the handover to be done peacefully.

“If we don’t have a peaceful transition of power, it will be difficult to have the people’s support in the 15th general election.

“We also want the stability to ensure economic growth and to fulfil the rest of our 2018 election promises,” he said.

The transfer of power from Dr Mahathir to Anwar was agreed to by all PH component parties ahead of the 2018 elections, but no specific deadline was set, other than the fact that it will take place before the end of the government’s current term.

This has led to various quarters pushing for an earlier transition and also speculation about whether it will take place at all.

Dr Mahathir, 94, has repeatedly said he will hand over after addressing the country’s financial problems. Anwar has also assured his supporters the transition would take place, and to give space to the prime minister to decide when. – January 15, 2020.