The paper quoted a close friend of Daim as saying that the business community was generally “comfortable” with the former finance minister, who now heads a team of “eminent persons” to advise the government on economic reforms, because the Mahathir-Daim combination was a “tested brand”.
“The general view is that Dr Mahathir is likely to stay for two years and there are questions among investors about what happens after that,” said Ismail Jaafar, who owns a business consultancy.
The report comes amid speculation that a delay in naming the rest of Mahathir’s Cabinet members was due to disagreements over the choice of ministers.
Already there were murmurs of protests in the PKR camp after only three of its leaders were named in the 14-member Cabinet, with key portfolios of Finance, Home Affairs, Defence and Education being given to DAP, Amanah and Mahathir’s PPBM.
PKR president, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who was made the deputy prime minister as part of a pre-election deal by the Pakatan Harapan coalition, is meanwhile tasked with heading the women’s affairs ministry.
ST said there was an “uneasy state of affairs” that could lead to “impatience” among Anwar and his allies.
“That, in turn, could result in serious strains and lead to a political confrontation among members of the ideologically diverse ruling coalition,” it said.
The fear is not new. Less than 10 days after Mahathir was sworn in as prime minister, Daim warned of “young fellows that are in a hurry” to see Anwar taking over the government, although he was careful to say they were beyond Anwar’s control.
“They are the ones that are impatient, not Anwar,” Daim had told reporters on May 18.
An understanding reached among PH top leaders is that Mahathir would hold the top post “temporarily” before handing over to Anwar pending settlement of his judicial process.
That process appeared to have been completed just hours after his release last month, with a full “unconditional” pardon, as Anwar described it, from the Agong.
Mahathir had indicated that he would need to stay on for another two years before handing over power.