KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 — Maszlee Malik said he has declined an offer to head the Mara Corp advisory board, in a veiled swipe at the way Perikatan Nasional came to power.

The former education minister said he could not accept the appointment as it was not in line with the wishes of Malaysians.

"I believe that any appointment is a form of public trust, and must be returned to the public. Public interest is pivotal, not personal gain.

"In my estimation, the decision that I must make has to be consistent with the mandate given to me by my supporters and the people of Simpang Renggam, as well as Malaysians in general,” he said on his Facebook page.

He also said he could not spare time for the position at the moment as he was deeply concerned with the difficulties and pressures that Malaysians were facing due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Yesterday, it was reported that Maszlee was appointed as the chairman of Mara Corp’s advisory board.

The announcement came along with the recent deluge of other political appointments to government-linked corporations and statutory bodies.

Maszlee was among Bersatu leaders who initially backed Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin over Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad during the February political crisis, but who eventually recanted and returned to Dr Mahathir’s camp.

The appointment will be seen as an attempt to lure him over to the rival faction ahead of a looming showdown for the control of Bersatu.

A civil war is brewing in Bersatu, with chairman Dr Mahathir and his son, Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, seeking to regain control of the party that they helped establish.

Dr Mahathir has also proposed a motion of no-confidence in Muhyiddin as the prime minister for the May 18 parliamentary meeting, which the Speaker has accepted.