KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 7 — Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has advised Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to step down on account of an “unstable” government.
Dr Mahathir said this was the best advice that he could offer Muhyiddin, having previously predicted that the latter would encounter problems if he proceeded to collaborate with Umno to form the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government.
“The difficult thing is when we advise, he doesn’t want to listen, that is the problem.
“The best advice (I can offer to him) now is when you see that it (government) isn’t as strong anymore, resign lah,” he told reporters today during a press conference at the Perdana Leadership Foundation.
Dr Mahathir, who is Parti Pejuang Tanah Air’s (Pejuang) pro-tem chairman, said he has previously predicted and had warned Muhyiddin that he would run into trouble since Umno is the bigger party compared to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu).
“I predicted this at the time when they were forming it (PN). I told Muhyiddin, you are going to get into trouble because you are a small party.
“If they pull back, you are finished. But he said he can handle the problem, so we will see how he can handle (it),” he said.
He also pointed out that PN only has a majority of two to three persons, compared to when he was prime minister during the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration, when there was always a two-thirds majority.
“If two people were to hop over to Pakatan Harapan (PH), I think the government will topple.
“So this is the most unstable government in the history of Malaysia because last time our majority was two-thirds, now only two to three persons,” he said.
Clashes between Umno and Bersatu have continued despite their informal alliance to oust the PH administration last February.
Umno members seething at the perceived loss of their privileges under the PN administration, and at their recent divisional meetings, have demanded the party leadership reassert its influence to take charge of government again by contesting all seats in the next general election.
Over the past few days, at least two ministers have voiced their readiness to relinquish their posts should Umno part ways with Bersatu.
