KUALA LUMPUR, June 20 ― Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad would never make a deal with anyone who would betrayed the mandate given in GE14 that catapulted Pakatan Harapan (PH) into Putrajaya, Datuk Marzuki Yahya asserted today.

Marzuki who insists he is the rightful Bersatu secretary-general despite being ousted from the ruling party ― now allied with Barisan Nasional and PAS under the Perikatan Nasional (PN) banner ― was responding to the latest political rumour claiming the former prime minister recently met with Senior Minister for Economy Datuk Seri Azmin Ali and PAS president Datuk Seri Hadi Awang. 

Marzuki said the rumours are untrue and were being circulated to cast negative perceptions against Dr Mahathir, who is challenging his expulsion from Bersatu ― a party he co-founded with Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, its president and the man who succeeded him as prime minister.

"Tun Dr Mahathir’s stance is clear and should not be doubted by any party, as he wants the people’s mandate to be restored as soon as possible as he does not want to see the Muhyiddin government continue to do harm to the country while affecting the lives of the people,” Marzuki said in a statement.

He said that although Dr Mahathir lacks support from the divided Bersatu MPs, all of them still hold true to their principles and the mandate that enabled them to become government in 2018.

"Therefore, Tun Dr Mahathir remains unwavering in his effort to avoid cooperation with leaders who betrayed the mandate given by the people and leaders who simply jump ship for the sake of power and self-interest.

"Instead, Tun Dr Mahathir continues to fight and continues to stand with Pakatan Harapan which was elected by the people in the GE14 to govern Malaysia and to carry out the agenda and bring the hopes of the people to him as Prime Minister,” Marzuki added.

Yesterday, news portal Malaysiakini cited an anonymous PKR insider purporting that its president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had said Dr Mahathir met Azmin and Hadi recently.

The source also claimed that Anwar ― who has been named alongside Dr Mahathir as PH’s next prime ministerial candidate if they return to power ― met Muhyiddin and Marzuki’s replacement as Bersatu secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin to discuss a "reform agenda”.