BANGI — Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said yesterday that he is prepared to face a vote of no confidence as he believes he has strong support.
He said that as far as he knew he has good support now, including from opposition parties Umno and PAS.
“All I know is PAS also said to support me, thank you. Umno said they also support me, thank you. I did not know who else did not support me, but if they did not support me they can always pass the resolution of no confidence towards the prime minister,” he said when asked on the suggestion of an Umno leader that Dr Mahathir form a unity government to stay in charge in Putrajaya.
Dr Mahathir, who was speaking at a press conference after opening the Alumni Malaysia Future Leaders School (MFLS) convention, also responded to Umno secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa’s call for him to either choose to partner with Umno or DAP.
“If he had not damaged Umno, I would choose Umno; but (since) he and his friends, Datuk Seri Najib (Razak) used Umno to look for money, I’m not going to seek such a party,” he said.
Dr Mahathir also said he asked Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali on his meeting with Umno and PKR Members of Parliament at the minister’s residence in Putrajaya on Monday.
“I asked Azmin what they discussed. He said some Umno people have lost their party direction and did not know what to do. So they asked whether they should join other parties or not; some also made statements pledging support for the leadership of Dr Mahathir,” he said.
Asked whether it was appropriate for Mohamed Azmin to hold the meeting, Dr Mahathir said: “He has played his right as deputy president (of PKR); he has the right to meet anybody. If his party does not agree it should tell him. Mohamed Azmin is not from my party,” said Dr Mahathir, who is Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) chairman.
When asked whether as Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman he would advise PKR not to spill its internal problems in public, Dr Mahathir said he would not interfere in the affairs of other parties even if they are part of the PH coalition.
Asked on Anwar’s statement to him that some cabinet members were abusing power or trying to gain political support through the award of projects, Dr Mahathir said they had the right to give projects in their parliamentary constituencies.
— BERNAMA
