No plot, Dr M was supposed to transfer power, say PKR duo

R Sivarasa, Dr Lee Boon Chye and Razeef Rakiman say Dr Mahathir Mohamad prevented Anwar Ibrahim from taking over as prime minister.

PETALING JAYA: Two PKR leaders have rejected a claim that Dr Mahathir Mohamad was wary of internal plots to remove him as head of the Pakatan Harapan government, saying that there was a clear understanding he was to hand the reins to Anwar Ibrahim.

However, he reneged on the deal, the two former deputy ministers said.

R Sivarasa told FMT the only relevant matter to note about Mahathir’s 2018-2020 stint as prime minister is that he failed to honour his promises.

“He promised to hand over the prime ministership to Anwar Ibrahim after two years,” said Sivarasa, a former MP for Sungai Buloh. “If he had done that, the PH government would have been stable and intact with Anwar as the prime minister.”

The PH government collapsed after 20 months when Mahathir resigned, leading to a new government formed by Bersatu, Barisan Nasional and a PKR faction led by Azmin Ali.

Azmin was said to be the only PKR minister “solidly behind Mahathir, according to former political consultant Romen Bose in his new book Shattered Hopes. He writes that Mahathir felt PKR was a bigger threat to his leadership compared to DAP.

The book’s revelation showed Mahathir’s fixation on power despite his pre-election promise to transfer power, said Dr Lee Boon Chye, another former deputy minister from PKR.

He said Pakatan Harapan partners PKR, DAP and Amanah had a clear position that the transfer should occur after the 2020 Asia-Pacific summit. The position was affirmed at the last PH meeting with Mahathir before the Sheraton Move of February 2020.

Lee accused Azmin of excessive ambition and labelled him as the mastermind behind the Sheraton Move.

PKR deputy information chief Razeef Rakimin said the party was established to fight against Mahathir’s oppressive regime. However, it was willing to cooperate with Mahathir and forget the 20-year feud for the sake of the people.

“But, of course, Mahathir, with his usual behaviour, is a dictator with an iron fist,” and the former prime minister merely took advantage of public sentiment to seize power and prevent Anwar from assuming leadership.

Razeef also said he was not surprised by Bose’s perceptions, claiming that Mahathir and Bose shared a mutual disdain for PKR. The book “is certainly only intended to portray PKR as ‘evil’ while everyone sees Mahathir as a tyrant,” he said.