DAP will propose to the Pakatan Harapan presidential council at an emergency meeting tonight that Dr Mahathir Mohamad be nominated again as prime minister.

Secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said this is because Dr Mahathir has steadfastly rejected invitations for him and his party, Bersatu, to form a “backdoor government” with Umno and PAS.

Lim named Mohamad Azmin Ali as the leader of a group of “PKR renegades” who are part of the plot.

“DAP condemns the treachery of some PH leaders and MPs who are attempting to form a backdoor government to replace the existing democratically elected PH government with a new coalition, Perikatan Nasional, comprising Umno, PAS, MCA and MIC, and certain Bersatu leaders and PKR renegades led by Azmin Ali.

“Such political manipulation has affected the government’s efforts to address the economic and livelihood (concerns) of Malaysian businesses and the ordinary people.

“Objecting to this nefarious attempt to subvert and undermine the people’s mandate given to PH, Dr Mahathir submitted his resignation as prime minister and Bersatu chairman,” he said after chairing a meeting of the DAP central executive committee in Kuala Lumpur.

“This is the first time that a Malaysian prime minister is prepared to resign on principle, to uphold integrity and combat corruption.”

Dr Mahathir tendered his resignation to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong at 1pm today. Shortly afterwards, he quit as Bersatu chairman.

Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin has announced the party’s withdrawal from PH.

These developments follow a weekend of clandestine meetings by Azmin’s faction, Bersatu and other parties, including those in the opposition.

Rumours were rife that Dr Mahathir was seeking to form a new coalition without PH allies.

Lim, who met Dr Mahathir earlier today at the latter’s residence in Seri Kembangan, along with PKR’s Anwar Ibrahim and Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, and Amanah’s Mohamad Sabu, said the 94-year-old statesman rejected the backdoor government proposal as he does not want to work with Umno.

“I met (Dr Mahathir) this morning at his residence, and was surprised when he informed me of his intention to resign.

“Dr Mahathir clearly stated that he cannot work with Umno, when we’ve worked so hard to reject Umno, sucessfully, in the 2018 general election.

“DAP commends Dr Mahathir’s principled position to refuse to work with an Umno whose leaders are involved in corrupt practices and had misruled, causing Malaysia to be labelled a ‘global kleptocracy at its worst’.

“This consistency and principled stand in rejecting a corrupt Umno should be supported by all Malaysians.”

Bersatu was founded by Dr Mahathir and other former Umno leaders in 2016. The party then joined DAP, PKR and Amanah to form PH, which ended Barisan Nasional’s six decades in power in the 14th general election. – February 24, 2020.