Azmin, former PKR lawmakers want Dr Mahathir as PM

Updated 4 years ago · Published on 25 Feb 2020 2:35PM · 1 Comments

Former PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali leaving the Prime Minister’s Office today. He and 10 other former PKR MPs say their backing for Dr Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister is based on the people’s desire for a stable government and sustainable economic growth. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Nazir Sufari, February 25, 2020.

SACKED PKR No. 2 Mohamed Azmin Ali and other MPs who quit the party have declared their undivided support for Dr Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister.

As all of the country’s 222 parliamentarians prepare to have an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to state who they support for the top job, Azmin and the 10 other former PKR MPs said their backing for Dr Mahathir is based on the people’s aspirations for a stable government and sustainable economic growth.

“We are convinced that this move has the true mandate given by the people in the 14th general election. Our group is made up of various races, religions, and people from different parts of the country who prioritise interfaith understanding, other religions and cultures,” they said in a statement.

Besides Azmin, the lawmakers who signed the statement are Zuraida Kamaruddin (Ampang), Saifuddin Abdullah (Indera Mahkota), Baru Bian (Selangau), Kamaruddin Jaffar (Bandar Tun Razak), Mansor Othman (Nibong Tebal), Rashid Hasnon (Batu Pahat), Santhara Kumar (Segamat), Ali Biju (Saratok), Willie Mongin (Puncak Borneo) and Jonathan Yasin (Ranau).

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah started holding private interviews with all lawmakers at 2.30pm today, to ascertain who they support for the post of prime minister.

Yesterday, the king appointed Dr Mahathir as interim prime minister following his resignation.

With most parties and MPs backing the 94-year-old statesman, what is left to be seen is which side Dr Mahathir will align himself with.

Azmin and the 10 MPs last night issued a statement defending themselves from claims that they are “traitors” over their political manoeuvrings with the opposition last weekend, resulting in the break-up of Pakatan Harapan and Dr Mahathir quitting.

The 11 said their moves were aimed at preventing Dr Mahathir from becoming a “lame duck PM” by being forced to set a date for his resignation and hand over power to Anwar Ibrahim after November’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. Instead, they wanted Dr Mahathir to serve a full term as prime minister.

The transition of power to Anwar, however, was agreed to by all PH parties before the 2018 elections. – February 25, 2020.

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Comments

  • I do not have the details of what transpired behind the scene. Whatever said and done, it was never the right time for this to be happening. The focus should have been on CoVid-19 or Coronavirus and Malaysian economy. For that, I do not think Malaysian people will forgive any of the conspirators.

    Posted 4 years ago by Raghu Thiyagarajan · Reply