KUALA LUMPUR: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today reaffirmed yet again that he will keep his promise on his tenure as the country’s prime minister as was agreed by Pakatan Harapan (PH).
“I have made my promise. And I will keep my promise,” he reiterated in a press conference after the
Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) extraordinary general meeting (EGM), here, today.
Present were Home Minister and Bersatu President Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Kedah Mentri Besar and party deputy president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir.
Dr Mahathir, who is also Bersatu chairman, was asked on the view of a political pundit who had said that allowing the Langkawi member of Parliament to continue serving as prime minister beyond the two year period which was agreed upon and until the next general election was akin to torturing the 94-year-old veteran leader.
Speaking at a forum recently on a book he penned titled “Anwar PM ke-8”, Shahbudin Husin had said the promised two-year time frame for handing over power to PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was ideal.
“Whatever someone else wants to say, it is their own opinion and not mine,” Dr Mahathir added.
At the press conference Dr Mahathir also replied to questions on whether there would be a cabinet reshuffle.
Rumour of a possible cabinet reshuffle was triggered by a group photograph involving all the cabinet members, which taken on Friday (July 19).
“It was one of the few times when all members of the Cabinet were present. So we wanted to take pictures of all the members (together),” the Prime Minister explained.
Pressed further on a possible cabinet reshuffle, Dr Mahathir responded by saying: “What do you suggest? You know, I listen to people.”
Meanwhile, in a sarcastic response to a statement by Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah that he did not discount the possibility that PH would implode due to internal squabbling between the factions involving Anwar and Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali in PKR, Dr Mahathir said the Gua Musang member should know better.
“He has a lot of experience in Semangat 46. He knows all about it. He imploded,” he said.
Tengku Razaleigh, fondly known as Ku Li, had lost to Dr Mahathir in the contest for the Umno presidency in 1987 in a party election dubbed as the contest between Team A and Team B.
Ku Li who headed Team B quit Umno with his supporters and those who lost the polls and formed Parti Melayu Semangat 46.
Semangat 46 contested in the 1990 and 1995 General Election under the opposition banner which then included parties such as PAS and the DAP.
Semangat 46 was eventually disbanded in 1996 and most of its members joined Umno.