Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's helming of the education minister portfolio "does not violate the letter and spirit of Pakatan Harapan manifesto" even though said manifesto appeared to state otherwise, DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang has said.

The Iskander Puteri MP claimed that the understanding among all Harapan leaders was that the prime minister could not take on the Finance Ministry role on top of his premiership.

That was why, Lim said, the ruling coalition's leaders appeared flummoxed when questioned yesterday over the discrepancy regarding the appointment.

"What was made very clear at the various Pakatan Harapan ceramah sessions throughout the country was the institutional reforms on the term limit for the prime minister and to ensure that the prime minister cannot hold the Finance Ministry portfolio.

"How could there be such an election promise when none of the Pakatan Harapan leaders from the four component parties of DAP, PKR, Amanah and Bersatu had known about it or had made such a public commitment?" he said in a statement today.

He admitted that the line in which the matter was listed in the manifesto had been "not very happily worded" and as a consequence, left it open to differing interpretations.

Promise 12 of the Harapan manifesto on 'Limit the prime minister's term of office and restructure the Prime minister's Department' states: 'The prime minister will not simultaneously hold other ministerial posts, especially the post of Minister of Finance.'

Lim said: "There is an absolute prohibition on the prime minister holding the post of minister of finance, which is not applicable to other ministries.

"For this reason, Mahathir’s helming of Education Ministry does not violate the letter and spirit of Pakatan Harapan manifesto."

He also thanked MCA and Gerakan for pointing out the discrepancy, as this showed that they were capable of performing their role as the opposition now.

BN leaders from MCA and Gerakan had yesterday pointed out the fact that Mahathir's appointment as education minister contradicted with the promise made by Harapan prior to the general election.

When contacted by Malaysiakini, several Harapan leaders, Lim among them, appeared stumped by this and said the fact was not brought up at the Harapan presidential council meeting when the new prime minister revealed he wanted the education minister portfolio.

Even so, Sin Chew Daily had, on March 26, quoted Amanah president Mohammad Sabu as stating during a ceramah that Harapan had promised in its manifesto that the prime minister would not hold any other ministerial post so as to prevent corruption and misuse of power.

Mahathir announced his additional portfolio yesterday, and that deputy prime minister-designate Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail would be overseeing the women affairs and welfare portfolio.

This came after DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng was named as finance minister, Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin as home minister and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu as defence minister last week.

More cabinet members are expected to be named today.