Salleh: Dr M will still run M’sia if Muhyiddin is PM
Umno minister points to the former PM’s statement that PPBM not only has a president but also a chairman.
PETALING JAYA: Dr Mahathir Mohamad will still “run” Malaysia even if Muhyiddin Yassin is named as prime minister if the Opposition comes to power, an Umno minister said.
In a blog post, Salleh Said Keruak said Mahathir also confirmed what he had announced in Petaling Jaya back in 2008, that the new prime minister must be “guided” by a committee of elders and not be allowed a free hand or too much independence in running the country.
“Mahathir said today that even though Muhyiddin is going to be the prime minister and the party president, PPBM (Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia) also has a chairman.
“So the prime minister must consult the chairman, meaning Mahathir, before making any decisions. The prime minister must not make any decisions by himself.”
Mahathir is PPBM’s chairman, while Muhyiddin is its president.
The communication and multimedia minister said Mahathir even suggested that the party chairman must be above the Cabinet since Cabinet members would be “obliged” to the prime minister.
“In short, the prime minister is not independent and comes under the party chairman who overrides the Cabinet the way Chairman Mao ran China for 31 years.”
Last year, Mahathir – who had become Prime Minister Najib Razak’s fiercest critic – suggested that a council of elders be formed to guide the prime minister in leading the country.
Malaysia’s longest-serving PM said this was necessary considering the Cabinet would probably give the green light to all of Najib decisions.
A council, Mahathir was reported as saying then, would “not simply nod their head to everything the prime minister says”.
On a related note, Salleh said Mahathir’s statement about Muhyiddin being the prime minister was an attempt to deflect talk that the former wanted his son, Mukhriz, to be the next premier.
Salleh opined that by doing so, Mahathir was suggesting that Mukhriz, who is also PPBM’s vice-president, will not take over.
“But that does not mean Mukhriz cannot be appointed the deputy prime minister while Muhyiddin becomes just a temporary prime minister,” the former Sabah chief minister said.
He said Dr Mahathir had finally laid to rest the crucial question of who he had in mind to take over from Prime Minister Najib Razak “in the event the prime minister is ousted or Barisan Nasional is kicked out, which is Mahathir’s main objective for forming his new party, PPBM”.
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Although Mahathir has endorsed Muhyiddin as prime minister, DAP’s Tony Pua has insisted that Pakatan Harapan wants Anwar Ibrahim as the next prime minister.