PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali today repeated his call for Dr Mahathir Mohamad to remain as prime minister throughout Pakatan Harapan’s five-year mandate.
“Give full support to Mahathir to continue leading, as this will be a guarantee to investors that the political landscape in Malaysia is stable and the economy is on the right track,” he told reporters at the Parliament today.
Azmin also dismissed a claim that he had secretly met former defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein to hatch a plan to stop Anwar from replacing Mahathir as part of a succession plan agreed by Pakatan Harapan.
“How is it possible to elect a government for only one or two years?” he asked.
“It is only a backdoor government if there are those who want to topple the administration within one or two years upon election.”
The economic affairs minister said all talk of power transition should stop in the interest of the country’s economy.
“There is already a lot of uncertainties out there. Both foreign and domestic investors are concerned that this situation will persist.”
He said this when asked to respond to claims he was working with Umno’s Hishammuddin to form a “back-door government” that will see DAP and Amanah left out and Anwar’s rise thwarted.
“I see these statements coming from groups that are desperate. As a country that respects democracy, the people decide on the government or prime minister every five years.
“Where do we hold an election to choose the government every two years or one year? So, I hope those who are obsessed with power will respect the people’s mandate in the general election which decides on the government for five years.
“So, quarters that want to reshuffle the government earlier than that – be it two years or one year – that is the actual back-door government.
“Mahathir should be allowed to remain as prime minister until the end of the term as it is the people’s mandate,” he told journalists at the Parliament lobby today.