A video of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad asking Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia members to support Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal to be the next Prime Minister has gone viral.
In the six-minute video clip, the former prime minister is heard saying that he is throwing his weight behind Shafie as the latter shares the same sentiments with him against Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
“I am the one who named Shafie (to replace me as the candidate), but it is not me alone. The others also gave his name.
“If you don’t let Shafie win, it is like not letting me win.
“I hope the (Bersatu) grassroots would choose Shafie as their candidate for PM. If I am no more, there are other people. I won’t be around forever. It is better if we change (the candidate for the next PM) at this time, so that we can continue our struggle. I want you to support him.
He was responding to a Bersatu member who asked him whether they should support Shafie as the ninth PM candidate.
There is no explanation as to whether the choice of Shafie as the possible prime minister candidate is a Pakatan Harapan Plus decision.
Pakatan Harapan Plus is a moniker for the Pakatan parties – PKR, DAP and Parti Amanah Nasional – and the former Bersatu leaders who support Dr Mahathir, as well as Warisan.
In the same clip, Dr Mahathir also lambasted the government for the decision involving Najib’s stepson Riza Shahriz Abdul Aziz, who was granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal over money laundering charges.
He also hinted that Najib would also be the next prime minister if Umno wins the next general election.
When contacted, an aide of Dr Mahathir confirmed the clip and said that it was held on the night of June 26 and supposed to have been a closed-door session for Bersatu Perak and Terengganu members.
Also present at the meet was former Bersatu deputy president Datuk Seri Mukhriz, former Bersatu secretary general Datuk Marzuki Yahya, Amanah president Mohamad Sabu and representatives from DAP.
In a joint statement on Monday, Amanah president Mohamad Sabu and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng expressed hope that Dr Mahathir, PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and Warisan could find common ground to resolve the prime ministerial candidate issue for the pact.
This comes in the wake of PKR rejecting Dr Mahathir as its candidate for the top post, should the Pakatan Harapan government return to power.
Shafie’s candidacy would provide an alternative to the current stalemate. If successful, he would be the first prime ministerial nominee from East Malaysia.
The call for Shafie to be prime minister candidate gained traction last night when Warisan vice-president Junz Wong took to Facebook and said that Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners in the formation of Malaysia, are no less than the peninsula, adding they are not second-class citizens.
“Even the aspiration to see a Sabahan or Sarawakian leading the nation as a prime minister in the future is not something that is impossible,” Wong said without naming names.
Several hours earlier, Shafie’s deputy in the party, Darell Leiking, also uploaded similar remarks on his Facebook account.
Leiking said any leader from Borneo who is acceptable to the federation can helm the top executive post.
“Many may disagree for their own reasons but as someone predicted years ago that to correct the Federation of Malaysia, anyone acceptable to the Federation and coming from Borneo (Sabah & Sarawak) can equally lead the Federation as a PM.
“Why not, right? 57 Years in the Making!” Leiking said, referring to the number of years Sabah had been in the Malaysian federation.
Meanwhile, Sabah Umno chief Bung Moktar Radin has scoffed at Dr Mahathir’s plan to name Shafie as Pakatan Harapan Plus’ choice for prime minister in the event of a snap election.
The Kinabatangan MP said Mahathir was trying to pit Shafie against Anwar.
“Last time, Dr Mahathir tried to confuse the people. Maybe he has lost all his support from PKR, DAP and Amanah and has now turned to Shafie.
“He is trying to make Anwar and Shafie fight each other. I think it is a joke,” he told FMT.
He said Shafie did not have the support of all the PH parties and therefore it would be impossible for him to be made prime minister.
Asked whether Sabahans should stick with Sabahans, Bung Moktar said that if Shafie chose to align Warisan with Perikatan Nasional, only then would he consider giving his support to the Warisan leader.