Source: Infuriated over exco reshuffle, Dr M mulled quitting
Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who was infuriated over the Johor executive council reshuffle, had considered stepping down, according to a source.
The source said the Bersatu chairperson revealed this during the party's supreme council emergency meeting on Monday night.
"He was disappointed and taken aback because the new menteri besar (Dr Sahruddin Jamal) did not follow his advice to keep the cabinet as it is," the source told Malaysiakini.
Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, infuriated over the Johor executive council reshuffle, had considered stepping down, according to a source.
The source said the Bersatu chairperson revealed this during the party's supreme council emergency meeting on Monday night.
"He was disappointed and taken aback because the new menteri besar (Dr Sahruddin Jamal) did not follow his advice to keep the cabinet as it is," the source told Malaysiakini.
According to the source, Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, who is also Bersatu Youth chief, had managed to convince Mahathir not to relinquish his post.
Malaysiakini could not reach Syed Saddiq for comment, but a source close to him confirmed this.
The source said Mahathir told the meeting that he was so incensed that morning – when the three new exco members were sworn in - that he wanted to resign.
This led other supreme council members to express unhappiness over the menteri besar's apparent insubordination.
"However, Mahathir had cooled down by the time the meeting started," added the source, who denied claims circulating online that the prime minister threatened to quit during the meeting.
On April 13, Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar reportedly set a precondition that the exco lineup must be reshuffled when a new menteri besar replaces Osman Sapian, who resigned after 11 months at the helm.
Mahathir, who has been locking horns with the Johor palace over various issues, said the sultan has no influence on this matter.
Prior to that, the premier said if rulers are allowed to decide on matters concerning posts, then Malaysia would not be a democratic nation.
Meanwhile, the source said the new menteri besar might have obliged the ruler's demand after consulting Bersatu president and Johor Bersatu leader Muhyiddin Yassin.
"Muhyiddin told the meeting that when the matter happened, he was abroad seeking medical treatment and was unaware of the party's decision.
"So when Sahruddin consulted Muhyiddin (while he was abroad), the latter's advice was the menteri besar should pick (excos) that he would feel comfortable working with," said the source.
The source claimed that what transpired was a case of miscommunication.
Yesterday, Malaysiakini reported that Muhyiddin had apologised to Mahathir and explained what had led to the reshuffle during the meeting.
There is no miscommunication it is all about an authoritarian leader and whether you can dance to his tune. Dr M for 23 years ruled with an iron fist and a 2/3 majority. He controlled the police the AG and the judiciary and controlled the parliament. Sedition and contempt of court were widely used to silence critics and opponents. LGE fell a victim to it and served a jail sentence for 2 years. Now without absolute control Dr M is having difficulties in governing where at every stage you need to negotiate. So now there is even problems between him and Muhyiddin. Well not surprising because in his earlier tenure he had problems Musa Hitam and Tengku Razaliegh and Anwar Ibrahim , Gaffar Baba.....etc... That is his personality. When your party does not command a majority keeping a coalition is about making compromises. Which he cannot do...
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