KUALA LUMPUR, June 5 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has cast doubts that anyone else from Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s administration will step down after former deputy works minister Datuk Shahruddin Md Salleh tendered his resignation.
In a press conference today, Dr Mahathir said he believes that the others will not follow in Shahruddin’s footsteps as they are more concerned about their own interests.
“They are with him as ministers, getting good pay and won’t give up their good pay. Because of that, many are not going to cross over. But this man joined Bersatu, he was secretary to Bersatu, he is loyal to Bersatu. He said what Muhyiddin is doing is destroying Bersatu.
“Umno has said it will contest all seats won by Bersatu, which means it is not supporting Bersatu. On the other hand, Bersatu is not a part of Pakatan Harapan (PH). It is floating around with no support and will lose the next election.
“That is what Muhyiddin has done to Bersatu, just to be prime minister,” said Dr Mahathir.
However, it was also reported Shahruddin has not thrown in his lot with Dr Mahathir, opting to become a Perikatan Nasional (PN) backbencher.
This comes as Special Functions Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof once again denied rumours he was quitting the PN coalition, pledging his loyalty to the government led by Muhyiddin.
The Alor Gajah MP said that the speculation of him quitting came from certain groups which he claimed want to create political instability in the country.
Later, Dr Mahathir also noted that Muhyiddin’s support base has been fluctuating and he believes the prime minister is worried about losing supporters.
He concluded that this was one of the reasons why the Bersatu president has begun to “illegally” sack party leaders including supreme council members while appointing his supporters into key positions.
“He has no authority to sack. This meeting last night, supposed supreme council meeting, many people he didn’t like were sacked. Many people, not members, were now appointed as members.
“He is doing everything against the rule, constitution and the law in order to sustain himself. I don’t know how long he can do it. Last night’s meeting for example, he forgot to get rid of four people.
“They attended, one was sacked but then withdrew, and attended and made clear their stand against him. What he is trying to do is to get the yes man, to be in the party and constitution and committee set up. That’s his way of doing things,” said the former prime minister.
Last night, four supreme council members walked out of the meeting, saying they could not condone the move to remove Dr Mahathir and his supporters from the party.
Dr Mahathir was also among the five leaders that were recently dropped from the party. The others were his son and Jerlun MP Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, Simpang Renggam MP Maszlee Malik, Kubang Pasu MP Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah and Muar MP Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman.
However, Dr Mahathir still maintained that he is the party’s rightful chairman even though his rival faction within the party has opposed this.
