Aide believes Mukhriz's 'not fixated on PM post' remark aimed at Anwar
Anwar Ibrahim's aide believes that Mukhriz Mahathir's remark about those fixated on becoming prime minister was aimed at his boss.
Therefore, R Suresh Kumar today asked the Kedah menteri besar to respect the understanding among Pakatan Harapan component parties when making statements in future...
Anwar Ibrahim's aide believes that Mukhriz Mahathir's remark about those fixated on becoming prime minister was aimed at his boss.
Therefore, R Suresh Kumar today asked the Kedah menteri besar to respect the understanding among Pakatan Harapan component parties when making statements in future.
"We in PKR are saddened and shocked by Mukhriz's remark.
“Although he did not mention Anwar's name, the remark gives the perspective that Anwar is growing more obsessed with becoming prime minister,” he told Malaysiakini.
Suresh, who is the PKR president's private secretary, was responding to Mukhriz's interview with the Nikkei Asian Review.
Mukhriz, the son of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, had said he is open to playing a bigger role in the federal administration, but was not fixated on becoming the prime minister, unlike others.
“I'm not really ambitious, I don't set myself a course that I must become a prime minister one day as some others do,” he had added.
Meanwhile, Suresh (photo) denied that Anwar is power-crazed or obsessed with becoming the prime minister.
“This (Anwar becoming prime minister) was a decision taken by the (then opposition) coalition since the 12th general election (in 2008),” he added.
Suresh said it is common knowledge that after the last general election, Anwar's wife, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, was offered the prime minister's post.
“If Anwar was power-crazed, I believe he would have seized this opportunity.
“But Wan Azizah and Anwar rejected the offer and suggested that Mahathir become the prime minister because this was what the Harapan presidential council had agreed to.
“Nothing was put in black and white. It was just a verbal agreement (for Mahathir to become prime minister). However, we (PKR) honoured the agreement. So we hope Muhkriz would do the same,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mukhriz also told the Nikkei Asian Review that no timeline was agreed to between the Harapan parties with regard to his father passing the baton to Anwar.
"There was no agreement that it has to be two years. There may have been suggestions like that, but nothing was stated on paper or in a verbal agreement," said the Bersatu deputy president.
According to Mukhriz, the general consensus in Harapan is that Mahathir should be allowed the time to fix the nation's economic woes before passing the baton.
He had also denied speculation that Mahathir preferred Economic Affairs Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali, who is also PKR deputy president, to succeed him.
Commenting further, Suresh said PKR and Bersatu still enjoyed good ties.
“I feel this is just Mukhriz's personal view and not Bersatu's stand.
“This is because I have seen numerous Bersatu leaders and members coming to see Anwar and expressing their support for him as the next prime minister,” he added.
