Anwar, Kit Siang won’t let Dr M become PM, says Ismail Sabri

(FMT) – The Pakatan Harapan (PH) leadership will never allow Dr Mahathir Mohamad to become prime minister if it wins the 14th general election (GE14) as it is just using him to attack Umno, says Umno supreme council member Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

The rural and regional development minister said Anwar Ibrahim and Lim Kit Siang would not allow it to happen due to Mahathir’s “past sins” against them and their families during his tenure as prime minister.

“Dr Mahathir has committed major sins towards them. For example, with Lim Kit Siang, his son Guan Eng was detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) and with Anwar, he was accused of various moral and financial wrongdoings which has surely put his family members to shame.

“As such, I do not think Anwar, Kit Siang or their families will ever forgive Dr Mahathir,” Ismail said when commenting on the possibility of Mahathir becoming interim prime minister if PH wins in GE14.

He said this after presenting certificates to 213 recipients at the Kemas SKM-PPT convocation ceremony here yesterday.

Meanwhile, in Kota Baru, Umno information chief Annuar Musa said the statement by PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail that an independent inquiry could be set up to investigate allegations against Mahathir proved that the party had not forgotten the former prime minister’s misdeeds against Anwar.

He said the statement showed that PKR was cautious towards Mahathir even though on the surface the party had accepted and appointed him as PH chairman.

“Wan Azizah is actually warning Dr Mahathir not to take it easy with PKR, and certainly the warning comes from Anwar,” he told reporters at an Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM) event here yesterday.

On Wednesday, Wan Azizah reportedly agreed to demands from reformist activists that a commission be set up to investigate various allegations against Mahathir during his 22-year tenure as prime minister if PH wins in GE14.

Wan Azizah said until the general election result is known, the opposition pact had agreed to retain Mahathir as chairman of the coalition.