KUALA LUMPUR: After Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said it is up to him when he will resign, many wondered what went down during the Pakatan Harapan (PH) presidential council meeting.
Sources in the ruling pact revealed that the 2½ -hour meeting on Friday night had turned into a heated argument, hence the reason it lasted longer than expected.
PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia secretary-general Datuk Marzuki Yahya were apparently outraged by the way some of the council members treated the 94-year-old statesman.
Although some claimed that Marzuki had threatened the council that Bersatu would quit PH if they continued to pressure Dr Mahathir, one source said it was not the case.
This is in regard to reports claiming that a Parti Amanah Negara leader had told Marzuki that they couldn’t care less if Bersatu wanted to exit PH as they were “used to being in the opposition bloc”.
“It was the other way around. The Amanah leader was the one who first said in a sarcastic tone that Bersatu can quit PH.
“Obviously Marzuki was unhappy. He asked why the Amanah leader would say something like that.
“That’s when Marzuki said, ‘okay, if you really want us out, fine then’.
“It wasn’t him who made the threat. He was hurt when a friend asked that question,” the source claimed.
The meeting was held to discuss the power transition plan, a consensus achieved by PH prior to the 14th General Election that PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim would succeed Dr Mahathir as prime minister.
It was rumoured that if council members failed to reach an agreement that night, an effort to form a government consisting of Bersatu, Umno, Pas and a segment from PKR would be initiated.
However, Dr Mahathir made no mention of the unity government plan but a Bersatu insider hinted that it could happen.
“All Bersatu Supreme Council members have been instructed to attend an emergency meeting tomorrow (today).
“From what I heard, it will be historic,” the source claimed.
Just a few minutes after the Friday meeting ended, while members of the press were queuing to enter the media conference room at the Perdana Leadership Foundation in Putrajaya, many journalists noticed that Azmin looked upset.
Soon after the press conference ended, reporters were told that Azmin and his allies, Zuraida Kamaruddin, Datuk Kamarudin Jaffar, Datuk Rashid Hasnon and Hishamuddin Rais, held a separate meeting at a hotel in Putrajaya.
The press, however, were unable to find out what had led them to hold the meeting.
A PH insider claimed that Azmin was furious with the outcome of the meeting and with the way some leaders spoke to Dr Mahathir.
“Azmin had spoken to some leaders earlier and they gave him their assurance that they would back (Dr Mahathir) up, but during the meeting, they didn’t.
“The way some of them treated (Dr Mahathir) was unbecoming. He will turn 95 soon.
“Is that how someone speaks to an elder?”
Nevertheless, the source said Dr Mahathir maintained his cool throughout the meeting despite efforts to push him around, but the Langkawi lawmaker pulled no punches.
Another source said Dr Mahathir had posed a question that left council members speechless.
“Dr Mahathir was calm the whole time. You know, his usual poker face. But that’s not all he did.
“He reiterated that he made a promise to pass the baton (to Anwar) after Apec (Apec Summit in November) and that he would do so,” the source said, referring to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.
“He (Dr Mahathir) then said ‘If Apec was yesterday and you ask me about the date today, then it makes sense.
“But Apec is not over yet, so why are you making all this fuss now?’”
Days before the meeting, it was alleged that Dr Mahathir had, via a series of statutory declarations, secured a two-third majority support in the Dewan Rakyat, so that he could serve a full term as prime minister.
Based on the outcome, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that the rumour is true as there was no reason why Dr Mahathir’s detractors would allow him to do as he please.
“It is up to me. I will decide the date after Apec. They will listen to me,” this was what Dr Mahathir said and it was seen as a strong remark.
Now that everything is up to him, can we expect more surprises?
The Malaysian political game is Dr Mahathir’s forte and this is probably him saying: “If you can’t take the heat, stay out of the kitchen.”