DR MAHATHIR Mohamad must keep his promise to hand over the leadership to Anwar Ibrahim, although the decision ultimately lies with the Dewan Rakyat, said Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

The deputy prime minister said this in response to Dr Mahathir’s remarks yesterday that it was the Dewan Rakyat that has to decide on the prime minister.

“Yes, that is what the Federal Constitution says about having a majority…. but a promise is a promise,” Dr Wan Azizah told reporters in Kuala Lumpur this morning. 

She was referring to Dr Mahathir’s agreement to hand over the leadership to Anwar. 

Yesterday, Dr Mahathir in an interview with The Malaya Post portal said while he would keep his promise to hand over the prime ministership to the PKR president, the final decision would have to be made in Dewan Rakyat. 

He added that even if a candidate comes from a party that enjoys a majority but he himself cannot command majority support, then the candidate won’t be able to become prime minister. 

“I have made a promise and we keep our promises. I am only prime minister with the support from my party (coalition), and in particular, the majority support from the Dewan Rakyat members. 

“If I refuse to resign but the majority in the Dewan Rakyat rejects me, I will fall. So the ones that truly have the power are the Dewan Rakyat and its members,“ he was quoted as saying in the interview. 

In recent months, Dr Mahathir had said he would hand over power to Anwar in November. However there are rumours of a move to force the Bersatu chairman to make it happen sooner. 

Yesterday, opposition party PAS said it would move a confidence motion in support of Dr Mahathir remaining as the prime minister. – February 9, 2020.