Tok Mat: Rantau's outcome will not affect Anwar's position as next PM

RANTAU: The constant presence of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in various campaigns and ceramah for the Rantau state seat by-election has sparked speculations that the by-election is shaping up to be a battle between him and Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

Talk is rife that any outcome from the by-election will affect Anwar’s position to become the next prime minister.

Mohamad, who is Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for the Rantau by-election, however, doesn’t share the same sentiment.

“How will the by-election affect his chances to become the prime minister? It’s not an issue at all,” he said during a press conference held here, today.

Mohamad said the presence of Anwar in Rantau to help campaign for PH’s candidate Dr S Streram is not unusual.

“I would do the same thing. As the party’s acting president, I had also gone down to the ground to campaign and meet the voters during the previous by-elections.

“So there’s nothing wrong with what Anwar is doing now,” he said.

He said Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had given his assurance that Anwar would succeed him.

“He (Anwar) will become the next prime minister. It’s just that we don’t know when (Mahathir will step down),” he said.

Meanwhile, when asked if he has any plans to meet Dr Mahathir if the prime minister visits Rantau, Mohamad said he has no problem to do so.

“I had worked for him before. We are not enemies,” he said

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