The Communications and Multimedia Minister was referring to a speech made by the DAP supremo at a party event in Bukit Gelugor on Friday night, where Lim said PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail will be an interim prime minister while Muhyiddin Yassin becomes acting deputy prime minister.
It was reported that Lim had also said Wan Azizah will only hold the position until her husband, Anwar Ibrahim, is freed from jail and is able to take over as prime minister.
Writing in his blog yesterday, Salleh suggested a scenario of how after winning GE14, PH will be fighting for Anwar to be pardoned by the Yang DiPertuan Agong, a PKR MP vacates his or her seat and a by-election takes place for Anwar to contest, after which Anwar becomes PM.
“What happens if DYMM the Agong does not grant Anwar a pardon? Will the interim PM and DPM continue to hold office indefinitely if Anwar fails to get pardoned and released? Does Kit Siang have a back up plan for that eventuality?
“Lim Kit Siang’s statement makes it sound like the issue of who is going to be PM and DPM if Pakatan wins the election has already been resolved when in actual fact it has not,” Salleh said, adding that Anwar also has to apply for the pardon, and in doing so would admit to his own guilt on the crime of sodomy for which he had been convicted and is serving a five-year jail sentence.
Salleh, who is also Umno treasurer, doubted a consensus was reached by all parties in PH – DAP, PKR and Amanah – and their new ally Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM).
“Kit Siang did not tell us whether this proposal for interim PM and DPM has the agreement of all parties in Pakatan, including Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s Pribumi,” Salleh said.
Taking a swipe at Lim’s claim that Muhyiddin will only be an acting DPM, Salleh also asked who will really be Anwar’s DPM, should the former opposition leader be released and become PM.
He also gave an example of how these parties have contradicted themselves as recently as the past week.
“Just last Tuesday, (PKR vice-president) Rafizi Ramli said if Pakatan wins the next general election Anwar is going to become the new prime minister.
“Before that, during a talk in the UK, Mahathir said Muhyiddin will be the PM but later back-tracked and said it was too early to decide that.”