A blog in Malaysia gave the date of May 15, 2020, as the date Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad should quit his post and hand over power to Anwar Ibrahim but a battle is brewing between Anwar Ibrahim’s supporters and a long-time opponent now in the camp of Dr Mahathir.
The issue of succession heated up today when Dr Mahathir sidestepped a question on whether he would put an end to the speculation on this issue.
“We have to study the situation. If the work is half done or not done, ‘susah lah‘ (it is difficult),” he said in reply to questions by reporters on his departure date, in Putrajaya today.
A Justice Party lawmaker, Abdullah Sani Abdul Hamid questioned a member of the Bersatu, Dr Mahathir’s party who said ‘the dark history of 1998 might be repeated’.
The Bersatu member, Khairuddin Abu Hassan, also said he might mount a campaign to prevent Anwar Ibrahim from succeeding Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Khairuddin is the publisher of a book that became the focus of the campaign against Anwar Ibrahim in 1998. It was entitled “50 Reasons Why Anwar Ibrahim Should Not Be Prime Minister”.
Anwar was fired as Minister of Finance and Deputy Minister in 1998 and he was jailed for abuse of power and sodomy.
However, Khairuddin used a ticket from the Justice Party of Anwar Ibrahim in the last General Elections in May 2018. Now, it is said, he is bent on stopping Anwar from becoming PM.
His statements have rattled the Justice Party and Abdullah Sani is putting pressure on the Bersatu and on Khairuddin on the purported anti-Anwar campaign.
Khairuddin, who is a staunch supporter of Mahathir, claimed that Anwar is not suitable for the post and warned that the nation could witness a repeat of the 1998 episode.
Abdullah asked if Khairuddin was engineering a conspiracy to derail the succession agreement within Pakatan Harapan.
“I want to reprimand Khairuddin for his insolence of late. What is your intention?” he asked, adding that the statements against Anwar gives the impression there is an intention to violate the consensus in Harapan for Anwar to succeed Dr Mahathir.
May 15, 2020?
Nevertheless, a blog post on – https://shahbuduahcom.net says Dr Mahathir should quit by May 15 next year.
The blogger asked, “When is the best date for Anwar Ibrahim to become PM?” and touched largely on the issue of the expected resignation of Dr Mahathir.
It also speaks widely on what it says are the failures of the current Mahathir regime.
The blog post says it is now more appropriate than ever for the Pakatan Presidential Council to set a fixed date for Mahathir to quit.
It says there is uncertainty in the country and this will continue as long as such a date is not given.