KUALA LUMPUR: PAS MPs will table a vote of confidence in Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s leadership in the Dewan Rakyat meeting next month.
The party’s deputy president, Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, said the purpose of the motion is to ensure stability in the country’s political scenario and economy.
“We see a need for him to stay on as prime minister until the end of this term. However, there appears to be a never-ending crisis and this has disrupted the political scenario and economy,” he told reporters at a monthly party meeting here today.
PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said the party wanted to bring the motion to the coming Dewan Rakyat meeting, scheduled for March 9 to April 16, because there had been rumours that certain quarters were not happy with Mahathir.
“Despite their unhappiness, they do not table a vote of no-confidence in the Dewan Rakyat.
“Since there is no vote of no-confidence, we will table our own motion to state our support for the prime minister,” he said, adding that the PAS MPs would vote against a no-confidence motion if it was tabled.
PAS had previously openly expressed their support for Mahathir to stay as prime minister until the Pakatan Harapan term ends in 2023.
Asked if PAS has informed Umno about its plan, Tuan Ibrahim said the party will talk to its Muafakat Nasional partner later. However, he is confident Umno will support a vote of confidence in Mahathir’s leadership.
Tuan Ibrahim also said today’s meeting did not discuss the “Pakatan Nasional” issue. “Pakatan Nasional is a term that suddenly popped out without any discussion. We are also not involved,” he said.
The claim that a new coalition is in the works was made by Umno Supreme Council member Lokman Noor Adam who, earlier this week, accused party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi of supporting the proposal to escape corruption charges.
On Jan 20, FMT reported that there could be a new political realignment that could thrust PAS into federal power, following several private meetings between PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang and Mahathir.
It said the new alignment would bring together forces aligned to Mahathir with the clout that the Islamist party holds in the northern Malay heartland, with dire consequences for DAP and prime minister-in-waiting Anwar Ibrahim.
Tuan Ibrahim also said PAS will hold its next muktamar in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, from June 26 to June 28. However, there will not be any party election during the assembly.
“There will only be debates and discussions on issues affecting the party and those concerning the country’s political arena,” he said.