Don't fight over becoming Prime Minister – Tun M

SHAH ALAM – Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has reminded political leaders to prioritise uniting the Malay community instead of competing for the position of Prime Minister.

Dr Mahathir said the opportunity for anyone to become Prime Minister depends entirely on the outcome of the next General Election (GE), where a party must win at least 112 seats to form the government.

“A candidate will not become Prime Minister if his party does not win 112 seats. To win, the party must contest more than 112 seats.

“Other parties will also field candidates against his party. It’s unlikely that his party will win 112 seats.

“So, there’s no need to scramble to be the Prime Minister candidate. Instead, work towards uniting the Malays,” he said in a Facebook post on Wednesday.

Previously, the Annual General Assembly of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), which concluded on Sept 7, passed a motion naming its president, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, as the 11th Prime Ministerial candidate.

On Monday, Sinar Harian reported that Pas president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang, 77, openly admitted that age and health factors prevented him from being considered as the 11th Prime Minister candidate, but stressed that the party was ready to lead Malaysia if Perikatan Nasional (PN) wins GE16.

Following Hadi’s admission, the name of Terengganu Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, 54, has gained attention as a young Pas figure with the potential to be nominated as Prime Minister, along with the party’s secretary-general, Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan, since Pas deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, 65, has also declined to be nominated.

Dr Mahathir said that ideally, the selection of a Prime Minister candidate should only take place after achieving victory in the upcoming general election.

He said at this stage, it is more important for parties to focus on Malay unity first.

“Only if the Malays unite can victory be achieved. Once victory is secured, then the choice of Prime Minister can be made.

“All those with talent can then contest to become Prime Minister,” he said.