Anwar is ‘always crazy’ to become PM, says Dr M

(FMT) – Dr Mahathir Mohamad has launched his strongest attack yet on Anwar Ibrahim since they made peace four years ago, describing the PKR president as someone too impatient to become prime minister

“Anwar is always crazy for the PM’s post. He cannot be the prime minister… In the past, he had so much support. But now, people support me,” Mahathir said, hours after Muhyiddin Yassin was sworn in as prime minister with backing from Barisan Nasional, PAS, GPS and several MPs from PPBM and PKR.

Mahathir said he had decided to resign as prime minister so that Anwar could prove he had the necessary support.

“But if people still wanted me to run (for the post); if I had received more votes, I would be returned, but Anwar thought he would get it back,” he said during a closed-door meeting with PPBM leaders at the Perdana Leadership Foundation here. The event was streamed live on the Facebook page of Amanah.

Mahathir further said he failed to get support for a new term as PM because of Anwar’s insistence on being named as Pakatan Harapan’s prime ministerial nominee.

“If not, I would have added 60 votes to my existing 90 votes,” Mahathir said.

Earlier today, PPBM president Muhyiddin Yassin was sworn in as the eighth prime minister, after a week of political stalemate caused by moves to form a new government which led to Mahathir’s resignation.

Mahathir had been re-nominated by the three PH parties for the post.

However, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong used his constitutional powers to name Muhyiddin as prime minister after a series of meetings with MPs and political blocs, who submitted names of MPs backing them.

Mahathir also revealed today that he was tipped off by his political secretary about a plan by Anwar to demand his resignation at a PH presidential council meeting on Feb 21.

But it did not happen; instead Anwar and PH leaders had agreed for him to remain as prime minister.

He said Muhyiddin’s action in seeking new allies was the cause of the week-long political crisis which led to the break-up of PH.