Anwar guarantees Dr M will surrender power to him, date talks later
Although his supporters have questioned the existence of a conspiracy to derail the succession plan, PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, however, is confident that he would be the next prime minister.
"I am satisfied with the (Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's) continued assurance. I guarantee he will honour the promise to surrender power to Anwar," he said...
Although his supporters have questioned the existence of a conspiracy to derail the succession plan, PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, however, is confident that he would be the next prime minister.
"I am satisfied with the (Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's) continued assurance. I guarantee he will honour the promise to surrender power to Anwar," he said.
As for the date to pass the baton, Anwar said: "We will discuss the date later."
Anwar pointed out that Mahathir has been consistent with regard to his promise to step down and honour the consensus in Pakatan Harapan.
"It is always a problem when we pick and choose what the prime minister said. But overall, consistently, he said he would honour the agreement and promise.
"I think (we should) give credit to the prime minister. He has done his best in his period of transition which is really challenging," he told reporters after a dialogue session with Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) in Shah Alam this morning.
Meanwhile, Anwar also described PKR founding member Syed Husin Ali's scathing criticism of Mahathir regarding this issue as his personal view.
Last week, Mahathir said he would remain in office for a maximum of three years. Prior to that, Anwar told Bloomberg that he expects to be prime minister next year.
In January 2018, Harapan agreed that Anwar should succeed Mahathir as the eighth premier but without stating a transition timeline. Mahathir has repeatedly pledged that he will hand over power to his successor.
During a dialogue session in New York last Thursday, said: "I cannot guarantee that somebody who succeeds me will do well, or maybe not too well".
Mahathir, who did not specifically name PKR president Anwar as his successor during the dialogue, also said that he would stay as prime minister for "at most three years".
Syed Husin (above, right) had warned that Mahathir's manoeuvring would ruin Harapan.
Earlier today, Mahathir declined to set a transition date when pressed about the matter.
“We have to study the situation. If the work is half done or not done, susah lah (it is difficult),” he said.
Syed Husin also questioned if Anwar, Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin, DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu have been stymied by Mahathir and become silent and apple-polishing.
While admitting Syed Husin's statement held some truth, Anwar today said not all Harapan leaders were such as described by the Syed Husin.
Taken himself, for example, Anwar said he had brought up some issues with the premier in their private meetings.
