In a twist, DAP says will propose Dr M to be PM once more

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 24 — DAP’s Lim Guan Eng said his party will nominate Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to return as the prime minister when the Pakatan Harapan presidential council meets tonight.

The DAP secretary-general asserted to a press conference at his party’s headquarters here that Dr Mahathir resigned as both the PM and Bersatu chairman to protest the attempt to form a new government with Opposition parties.

Lim said Dr Mahathir did not wish to work with Umno, unlike sections of Bersatu and a rogue faction in PKR.

“This consistency and principled stand in rejecting a corrupt Umno should be supported by all Malaysians.

“DAP intends to propose to the PH presidential council at its emergency meeting tonight, to continue to nominate Tun Dr Mahathir to continue as prime minister of Malaysia, to fulfil and deliver the promises in the PH general-election manifesto,” he said.

Separately, PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Dr Mahathir told him that the latter was not involved in the alleged plot for a new coalition government sans PKR, DAP and Amanah.

“In objecting to this nefarious attempt to subvert and undermine the people’s mandate given to PH, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had submitted his resignation as prime minister and PPBM chairman.

“I had seen Tun this morning in his residence and was surprised when he informed me of his intention to resign. I wish to confirm The Edge headline ‘Dr M quits as he does not want to work with Umno’. Tun Dr Mahathir clearly stated that he cannot work with Umno when we worked so hard to reject Umno successfully in the 2018 general elections,” Lim added.

He said that DAP lauded Dr Mahathir’s principled position in refusing to work with Umno, whose leaders he said are “involved in corrupt practices and misrule causing Malaysia to be labelled as a global kleptocracy at its worst”.

“This is the first time that a Malaysian prime minister is prepared to resign on principle to uphold integrity and combat corruption,” he added.

Dr Mahathir resigned unexpectedly today following a Sunday filled with intense speculation that Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia would form a coalition government with major Opposition parties.

He also withdrew as the chairman of Bersatu and will lead several leaders in quitting the party, his aides told Malay Mail.

Earlier today, PKR also sacked Datuk Seri Azmin Ali and Zuraida Kamaruddin for betraying the party.