A group comprising veteran supporters of Anwar Ibrahim is against any move to revisit the issue of the PKR president succeeding Dr Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister, saying it is a done deal.
Otai Reformasi also said it was wrong of Mahathir to say the Pakatan Harapan (PH) Presidential Council could decide on the date to hand over power to Anwar.
It said many of those in the council were now part of the Cabinet, and as such there could be bias towards Mahathir who appointed them to ministerial positions.
“Their stand on the matter would be different from what was decided prior to the 14th general election when they did not hold any post,” Otai Reformasi spokesman Abdul Razak Ismail told FMT.
“We fear that they may reject Anwar.”
Last month, Mahathir, responding to intense talk about his date of stepping down to make way for Anwar, said only the ruling coalition’s top council could make such a call.
Under a deal struck by the PH leadership, Anwar was to succeed Mahathir as prime minister at an unspecified date after the coalition took over Putrajaya.
Razak questioned Mahathir’s intention to keep his promise, saying the PH chairman had been evasive about the matter.
“It looks like Mahathir is trying to delay the handover to gather support from the opposition and several PKR MPs.
“We think he will remain throughout the five-year term,” he added.
He said Mahathir was aware of this, which was why he “was brave to let the Presidential Council decide”.
“I think he may have already got the signal that his ministers will back him (to stay on),” said Razak. – FMT