The Malaysian Insight

BERSATU has pledged full support for its chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad to play a vital role in leading the Pakatan Harapan government. 

Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin said the former prime minister’s 22 years of experience as the country’s leader, together with the leadership of Pakatan Harapan, would put Malaysia back on track. 

“Another thing that the people also want to know is the leadership that will lead Pakatan Harapan government after the election.

“I hope in the near future, after all discussions are done, we will be able to announce the future leadership of Pakatan Harapan, by taking into account the demand of the people.

“On behalf of PPBM (Bersatu), I want to state our undivided support for Dr Mahathir Mohamad, as chairman of Bersatu and Pakatan Harapan, to play a vital role in the Pakatan Harapan government,” he said in his policy speech at the party’s first annual general meeting, held in Shah Alam. 

Muhyiddin’s support comes on the heels of a dispute within PH over its candidate for interim prime minister.

On Thursday, The Malaysian Insight reported that PKR had set three conditions that must be met before the party would consent to naming Dr Mahathir as the PH interim prime minister candidate.

During a PH retreat on December 1 and 2, DAP, Amanah and Bersatu had agreed that Dr Mahathir and Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail would be the interim prime minister and deputy prime minister, respectively, if Putrajaya was won.

However, full consensus has been delayed by PKR, which had wished to discuss the proposal internally before coming to a decision. 

PKR’s three conditions are that de facto PKR  leader Anwar Ibrahim is immediately released from jail and installed as the prime minister within a year of the opposition coming into power; PKR be allocated the most federal seats to contest in GE14; and that Dr Mahathir agrees to reform key institutions in the country.

PKR wants to contest about 60 seats in Peninsular Malaysia.

Earlier in his speech, Muhyiddin said it was time for the opposition pact to announce its national manifesto and the “New Deal for Sabah and Sarawak.”

Muhyiddin’s pledge of support was met with chants of “Hidup Tun M” from the exuberant crowd 

“We can announce the manifesto in stages. I’m sure the people want to know what Pakatan Harapan can offer if we are given the mandate in the next general election. – December 30, 2017.