KUALA LUMPUR, July 6 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today dismissed the much talked-about meeting between Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin earlier this week to collaborate for next month’s six state elections.

The Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman indicated that the meeting of the two past prime ministers who were also once his allies was to be expected and would not affect his administration’s agenda to provide good governance.

"This is not a new thing. We know that these groups will collude to continue their ways and defend their wealth. "However, we will still be responsible in defending and protecting the country and people’s wellbeing,” he told reporters after the 2023 International Social Wellbeing Conference here.

Anwar was also asked to comment on the decision by MIC and MCA not to contest any of the six state seats in the August 12 elections, despite being components parties of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition that is now part of the "unity government” with PH.

The PKR president said he respects their decision and is confident that both parties are still committed to his government.

Yesterday, Muhyiddin said that Dr Mahathir has agreed in principle to support Perikatan Nasional (PN) for the six state elections in August.

The former PM said he met with his immediate predecessor in a "respectful and cordial” meeting yesterday, during which they came to an agreement.

Also yesterday, two main component parties of BN, MCA and MIC, announced that they will not field any of their candidates in the impending state elections.

In separate statements, MCA secretary-general Datuk Chong Sin Woon and his MIC counterpart RT Rajasekaran said that the parties still pledge their allegiance to BN and will focus their energy on the next general election instead.