Pakatan proposes interim PM pending Anwar’s release

(The Star) – Pakatan Harapan will consider the possibility of an interim prime minister, should its first choice of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim be prevented from taking the position.

“Pakatan Harapan’s candidate for prime minister is Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. If he is prevented from doing so because of his imprisonment, there can be an interim prime minister,” said the Opposition coalition’s chief secretary Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah (pic) in a Facebook post on Wednesday morning.

The statement comes after Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin would be prime minister if the Opposition wins the 14th general election.

The choice of Muhyiddin, Dr Mahathir said, would depend on his party and also the coalition.

Saifuddin cited the case of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who was barred from becoming premier after his party won the 2002 polls as he was banned from holding political office.

Abdullah Gul became interim prime minister until his government removed the ban on Erdogan in 2013.

“At present, however, it is better to focus on building a bigger Opposition coalition first,” said Saifuddin.

Dr Mahathir quit Umno for the second time in February.

He went on to set up Pribumi with Muhyiddin and his son, Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, who were both sacked from Umno.