PERIKATAN Nasional is still trying to entice Dr Mahathir Mohamad to join the coalition, the former prime minister was quoted saying by Malaysiakini.

The nonagenarian said efforts that began prior to the Sheraton Move a year ago, which led to the fall of Pakatan Harapan, have yet to stop.

However, the Langkawi MP said he did not want to work with “criminals”, who are supportive of the current government, adding that it may be different if they were not part of the coalition.

“I have made promises to people. I promised the rakyat that we (Pakatan Harapan) wanted to bring down former prime minister Najib Razak. So, I cannot work with him,” he told the news portal in an interview.

“The (ruling) party today would collapse without support from Najib and several others in what we call the ‘court cluster’.

“The so-called Malay Muslim government is dependent on the non-Malays, and secondly, dependent upon criminals.

“I cannot be associated with that,” he added, referring to Najib’s conviction for corruption, while Umno president and former deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and other senior Umno figures also stand accused of a litany of similar charges.

In July last year, Najib was found guilty and sentenced to 12 years in prison, plus a RM210 million fine for his part in the laundering of RM42 million from SRC International. The Pekan MP is currently appealing the decision.

“Najib is the killer of Umno, he destroyed Umno.

“His father built Umno and he destroyed it. He has no shame at all for destroying his father’s heritage,” he said, adding that he would work with PN if the criminal element was removed.

Yesterday, Dr Mahathir told Bernama that he has no desire to return as prime minister for a third time, but is more interested in taking on an advisory role.

“If I was younger I could become the prime minister again, but I am 95 now and I can still function, and hope to advise people on what they should do… other than that I feel I shouldn’t be the prime minister for a third time,” he said.

Born on July 10, 1925, Dr Mahathir is the only politician in the country who has held the top executive post twice, and also holds the record for being the world’s oldest prime minister when he was re-elected in May 2018. – April 15, 2021.