An end to speculation of PM-Designate.
If Pakatan Harapan takes over Putrajaya:
- Royal pardon will be sought for Anwar
- Dr M will make way for Anwar to be PM
- PM’s post will have two-term limit
- Reform of major institutions, including AG, IGP, Armed Forces Chief, MACC Head posts to be free from political influence
Pakatan Harapan leaders have unanimously decided that Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad will be the coalition’s candidate for the Prime Minister’s post if it makes it to Putrajaya, with Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail being its candidate for Deputy Prime Minister.
The decision was set in an agreement of cooperation signed by Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Pribumi) chairman Dr Mahathir, PKR president Dr Wan Azizah, Pribumi president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, DAP chairman Tan Kok Wai and Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) president Mohamad Sabu.
The agreement also stipulated that a Royal Pardon would be obtained for PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to be made prime minister once Pakatan Harapan wrested Putrajaya from Barisan Nasional, as well as limiting the prime minister’s tenure to two terms “to promote healthier democracy”.
In addition, members agreed that Pribumi will contest in 52 seats, PKR in 51 seats, DAP in 35 seats and Amanah in 27 seats. The other 57 seats will not be contested by Pakatan Harapan.
The agreement also bound Pakatan to a reform of major institutions and to ensure that posts, including those of the Attorney-General, Inspector-General of Police, Armed Forces Chief and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission head, be free from political influence.
The appointments, said the agreement, would have to go through the Parliament via vetting by a select committee and be carried out by the King.
Following the reading of the agreement by Pakatan secretariat chief Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah at the coalition’s second convention, Dr Mahathir, choked with emotion, went on stage to thank the delegates.
“I thank you for nominating me as prime minister. I’m already 92 years, I won’t be there for long,” Mahathir said.
He acknowledged that it could not have been “easy” for his former nemesis Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his family to agree to work with him and allow his party into the Opposition pact.
“I am aware how he must have felt. It was not easy for him to accept me. I owe him a debt of gratitude, and I say thank you to him,” Dr Mahathir said.
He also acknowledged the struggles of Anwar’s family during the latter’s imprisonment.
“They have suffered for 20 years, it is not easy for them,” he added.
Mahathir said Anwar was not alone in having trouble in accepting him for a political partnership.
“The other parties also had problems to accept me, their long-time enemy. To them, I am Mahazalim and Mahafiraun,” Mahathir said, referring to the labels thrown at him by the opposition when he was in Umno.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvYeKTVGl6Q
“That is why we took some time (to cooperate) but in the end, priority was given to the fight against (Prime Minister Datuk Seri) Najib (Abdul Razak),” he said.
Admitting that it was not easy for him or others to work together, Mahathir said, “but that doesn’t stop me from working to save this country”.
“Those uneasy with me, my policies, my actions, although it is difficult for them, they realise that what is important is not the past, but what is in front of us.”
He also said that in life, there were some things that “one had to leave behind to move forward”.
“Since I joined Umno, I had fought for my party but now I am fighting against it.“It is not easy for me to destroy the party I had loved for 60 years,” he said.
Mahathir also said that the seat negotiations were not easy and they faced challenges when major parties such as PKR demanded more seats.
“We cannot make everyone happy. So we must accept a situation in which not everyone is happy,” he said, drawing laughter from the audience.
In his speech, he made a special mention of Amanah, praising the party for ensuring the seat negotiations were successful.
Meanwhile, Mahathir called the rakyat to be brave and vote for Pakatan Harapan in the upcoming general election.
He said the notion that the government could trace who the rakyat voted for was untrue and purportedly spread to avoid any vote against the government.
“It is not true at all. They will not know and we cannot be scared of that,” he said. “Even if you are being threatened, vote for PH. We are not asking much.”
Dr Wan Azizah said that she was overwhelmed and touched to be nominated as the coalition’s candidate for Deputy Prime Minister.
She said that the Opposition will only be relevant if it can bring change in policies and systems to improve the country.
“In fact, our real struggle begins after we win the mandate from the rakyat to rule the country,” she said.
