KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 2 — Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said that Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) candidate for the Kemaman parliamentary seat has what it takes to become the country’s prime minister in the future.

He said Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar has proven his capabilities in administering Terengganu effectively as the Menteri Besar, Malaysiakini reported.

Dr Mahathir, who came to show his support to Ahmad Samsuri, also slammed the government for allegedly engaging in corruption by bribing MPs to gain their support.

"If we choose their candidate, it means we allow the government to openly engage in corruption by using government funds to secure support.

"That’s why in this by-election, we need to show that they will not get support from the people of Kemaman.

"In Kemaman, we have a candidate who is truly qualified to be the prime minister,” he was quoted as saying.

Dr Mahathir said this during his speech at the PN’s grand finale ceramah in Dataran Astaka, Chukai, last night ahead of polling today.

His remarks appear to be in response to five Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) MPs who recently declared their support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Dr Mahathir also urged Kemaman voters to support Ahmad Samsuri, who is also the vice-president of PAS.