KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 15 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob had offered Langkawi MP Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad the post of National Recovery Council in exchange for his support, Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang) president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir claimed today in the Dewan Rakyat.

Muhkriz who is also Jerlun MP claimed the offer was made before Bera MP Ismail Sabri became the PM, on the condition that Dr Mahathir support his appointment to lead the government.

“It was informed that when Bera met Langkawi previously, it was promised that the MPN would be established if Bera became the prime minister and Langkawi will be appointed as its chairman,” Mukhriz said during his debate of the Royal Address.

The MPN are the Malay initials for the National Recovery Council.

“Unfortunately the promise was not followed,” Mukhriz added.

This resulted in Ismail Sabri appointing his predecessor, Pagoh MP Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

“Muhyiddin has failed when he was a prime minister with the backing of the Emergency Ordinance. What can he do now that he couldn’t do before?” Mukhriz asked.

Mukhriz also claimed the MPN idea was stolen from Pejuang after Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz met Dr Mahathir during Muhyiddin’s administration.

Mukhriz claimed that the only difference between the recovery council mooted by his father and the one set up under Ismail Sabri’s Cabinet was that Dr Mahathir had wanted half the members to be specialists rather than be dominated by politicians.

“I don’t want to question the ability of parliamentarians or politicians to give ideas, but we have done it but it didn’t happen.

“The most important thing now is to leave it entirely to those who are experts to give the idea to handle the crisis we face today,” he said.

On September 4, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali said the Cabinet had decided on Muhyiddin’s appointment which carries a similar status of a minister on September 1, before presenting it to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

He said the government is confident with Muhyiddin’s ability to spearhead the initiative to bring back the country which was badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Muhyiddin’s appointment was slammed by Opposition politicians, citing the failure of the previous government in handling the Covid-19 issues.