Dr M rejects 'minister-mentor' offer as past advice to PMs fell on deaf ears
Dr Mahathir Mohamad has rejected PKR president Anwar Ibrahim's suggestion for the Langkawi MP to be appointed to a special position in the cabinet instead of prime minister if Pakatan Harapan and its allies return to power.
This is after PKR insisted Anwar should be the prime minister candidate whereas Mahathir could be appointed as a senior minister or minister-mentor similar to Singapore where former prime ministers assumed the position to advise the government.
Dr Mahathir Mohamad has rejected PKR president Anwar Ibrahim's suggestion for the Langkawi MP to be appointed to a special position in the cabinet instead of prime minister if Pakatan Harapan and its allies return to power.
This is after PKR insisted Anwar should be the prime minister candidate whereas Mahathir could be appointed as a senior minister or minister-mentor similar to Singapore where former prime ministers assumed the position to advise the government.
"No, I won't accept it," Mahathir was quoted as saying in an interview with Sin Chew Daily.
"According to my experience, when I tried to give advice to the prime minister, they would reject it or refuse to listen to me like former prime ministers Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Najib Abdul Razak and now Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
"The prime minister wants to show he is in charge and all ideas are from him. He wants to leave behind a political legacy.
"He can't say that his political legacy came from Mahathir," said the 94-year-old politician.
Anwar (below), in an interview with Channel News Asia, remained adamant that Mahathir should not become the prime minister for the third time.
However, the Port Dickson MP said he was open to Mahathir being appointed to a senior cabinet position.
“To my mind, he has served twice as prime minister. It is time that we move on.
“I emphasise that it is not a question of personality. It is a question of an opportunity to begin anew – a fresh start for this country.
“Malaysians deserve better. (There is) so much disillusionment about politics now,” he explained.
Mahathir served as the fourth prime minister from July 1981 to October 2003 and seventh prime minister from May 2018 to March 2020.
Mahathir and Anwar, who need each other to form a majority in the Dewan Rakyat, are at an impasse over who should be the premier should a counter-coup succeed.
The Harapan government, which came into power in the 2018 general election, collapsed in late February after Bersatu president Muhyiddin pulled his party out of the coalition government.
Muhyiddin was sworn in as the new prime minister on March 1 after Mahathir refused to lead a new coalition the former put together comprising Bersatu, PKR defectors, BN, PAS, GPS, PBS and Star.
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