MUHYIDDIN Yassin met Dr Mahathir Mohamad alone several times to persuade the latter to leave Pakatan Harapan, said the former prime minister.

Dr Mahathir said, however, he did not turn down Muhyiddin immediately but told him he needed time to think about this.

“I didn’t agree to leave (PH) as I am from Pakatan that won based on its promise to bring down Najib Razak,” said the 94-year-old former prime minister in a Facebook Live today.

It would be odd for Bersatu, which defeated Najib, to turn back and work with Umno again, he said.

“That was my decision. I never said that I would leave Pakatan. This move, in fact ,shocked me because Pakatan is a party that Bersatu joined to bring down Najib.

“There was no reason for me to reject Pakatan although there were suggestions that DAP controlled Pakatan,” Dr Mahathir said.

He again reiterated that it found it impossible for DAP to control PH. As the prime minister then, he would have never agreed to any suggestion without considering all interests, especially the Malays.

Dr Mahathir was commenting on a series of photos featuring the leaders of Umno, PAS, Gabungan Parti Sarawak, Warisan and Muhyiddin circulating on social media.

Among the leaders present were Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, Warisan president Shafie Apdal, GPS’ Abang Johari Openg and former PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali.

Dr Mahathir said the meeting took place on February 23 after he attended a Bersatu supreme council meeting. – June 2, 2020.