DR Mahathir Mohamad did not engineer a scheme to break up the Pakatan Harapan government, said DAP’s Liew Chin Tong.

The former deputy defence minister said even Dr Mahathir has opted not to join those who have left the coalition.

“What he did was extraordinary (not joining the opposition).

“If this government survives, we should all thank him (Dr Mahathir),” Liew told reporters after attending a book launch at Universiti Malaya tonight.

The DAP political education director was commenting on Dr Mahathir’s resignation as prime minister this afternoon.

Dr Mahathir also resigned as Bersatu chairman, after party president Muhyiddin Yassin announced that Bersatu was leaving PH.

With Dr Mahathir’s resignation as prime minister, the cabinet he appointed is dissolved.

This evening, Dr Mahathir was appointed interim prime minister by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

With Bersatu’s departure, PH has collapsed. Components DAP and Amanah, and pact ally Parti Warisan Sabah have declared their support for Dr Mahathir to be prime minister again.

PKR is to meet on the matter.

These developments followed a weekend of speculation that Dr Mahathir would break up PH and seek federal power with the opposition.

However, Liew said what happened was the result of “certain people in Umno, PAS, the Mohamed Azmin Ali faction and some people in Bersatu who are worried about their own case”.

Azmin, who was PKR No. 2 and a rival to president Anwar Ibrahim, was sacked by the party earlier today, along with his staunch supporter, Zuraida Kamaruddin.

Liew said Muhyiddin and Azmin are trying to form a government.

“This government should not be recognised or supported.

“There is a legitimate government, but there are people who are trying to form an illegitimate government, and that’s our situation now.

“They are thinking of forming a government that doesn’t have Anwar, DAP and Amanah. That’s their game plan.

“I think it is important that everyone remembers the mandate given to us by voters, which is to govern with reform.” – February 24, 2020.