A high-ranking Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) insider has opined the party’s president Muhyiddin Yassin still the best candidate for the prime minister post if the opposition takes Putrajaya in the next general election.

“I know Muhyiddin well enough, I believe he is qualified to be prime minister,” he told Malaysiakini on condition of anonymity.

This is despite the former deputy prime minister being alleged to have had an affair with a married woman.

“I don’t see this as a scandal, just some allegation. I don’t think this will be a problem,” he said.

He was asked if Bersatu will accept Muhyiddin as interim deputy prime minister, while opposition leader Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail becomes interim prime minister as proposed by DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang.

He said the party would not push for Muhyiddin as the opposition choice of the premier in Harapan’s meeting, but it will bring up the people’s choice for the PM.

When asked if Bersatu will propose Muhyiddin if the people want the latter to lead the country, the source gave an affirmative answer.

Bersatu, however will only discuss the matter if its Pakatan Harapan counterparts bring up the issue at their meeting, he said.

“Please allow us to talk to our friends collectively first. I think we can arrive at a decision in a very cordial manner,” he said.

The newly-formed party will only discuss the matter when the time comes, he said.

He declined to comment if Bersatu wants jailed opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim as the designated prime minister.

The apex court on Dec 14 had dismissed Anwar’s review application of the Sodomy II conviction and sentence.

As such, Anwar is expected to remain behind bars until mid-2018, and could only contest in the general election five years after his release.

PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar said recently that Harapan, which now considers Bersatu as an ally, will be naming their choice for prime minister soon.

Lim then mooted that Wan Azizah and Muhyiddin be made interim prime minister and deputy prime minister respectively.

On Dec 19, former prime minister and Bersatu chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad advised the opposition against naming their choice of prime minister.

“If we name the PM there will be others who will be disappointed and there will be quarrels among us. At the moment we can’t name the PM,” said Mahathir.