PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar has denied suggestions that her party is intent on opposing Dr Mahathir Mohamad as Pakatan Harapan’s prime minister candidate, saying instead the coalition’s priority is on winning the 14th general election.

Nurul Izzah said the matter was still being discussed internally by party leaders, adding that she was “optimistic with whatever the decision”.

“As far as I know, we have not even confirmed that any suggestion (for the prime minister candidate) had been made,” she said in a statement to The Malaysian Insight.

It was reported earlier this month that Dr Mahathir, who is PH chairman, and the coalition’s president, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, were named as interim prime minister and deputy prime minister respectively after a recent two-day coalition retreat in Putrajaya.

PKR was the sole coalition party member which did not agree to the candidates.

Nurul Izzah said PKR was not deliberately holding back on endorsing Dr Mahathir as prime minister should the opposition pact come into power in the next elections, but was simply not placing priority on the matter.

Instead, she said the entire PH coalition is now focused on winning GE14 and realising the reform agenda.

“The important focus is to win the elections… there is no need to prioritise the naming of the (candidate for) prime minister.

“Barisan Nasional has focused its attacks on us, wanting the candidate to be announced. 

“But our focus is the finalisation of seats to ensure we (can) wrest power to represent the people and implement reform.”

The final list of seats to be contested by PH parties – PKR, DAP, Amanah and Bersatu – is almost complete and will be finalised as soon as possible, she said.

“I am a leader committed to PH. I do want us to deliberate everything behind closed doors.”

Nurul Izzah’s father, PH and PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, is serving jail time over sodomy, and was Dr Mahathir’s deputy prime minister from 1993 to 1998 until his sacking.

Anwar and Dr Mahathir were political foes for 18 years until they turned allies again last year, following the latter’s exit from BN and Umno. – December 28, 2017.