Mukhriz refuses to endorse Anwar for PM

(MMO) – In a move that was not without irony, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today signed a petition to free jailed PKR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The former prime minister was seen signing the petition before exiting the PKR national congress here today.

Despite many PKR members and leaders previously blaming Dr Mahathir for Anwar being jailed the first time, the 92-year-old insisted that he wasn’t the one behind Anwar’s latest incarceration.

“It’s not me who put him in jail, that’s an old story. Najib is the one who put him (in jail),” Dr Mahathir said as he was leaving.

The Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia chairman, however, refused to endorse Anwar as the Opposition’s choice as prime minister.

When all the top leadership held up placards saying “Anwar PM Ke-7” (Anwar as 7th PM) at the opening of the congress, Dr Mahathir instead took out his smart phone to take pictures of the crowd.

When asked to comment on that later, Dr Mahathir simply said it was “up to anyone” to name their potential candidate for PM.

Mahathir’s son Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir meanwhile said a PM candidate should be announced by the Opposition before the next general elections.

The PPBM vice president, while refusing to endorse Anwar, added that discussions like this should be done properly with other parties before an announcement is made.

“We need to discuss this in Pakatan Harapan before any decision is made. But, I agree that a PM candidate ought to be announced before the elections,” Mukhriz stressed.

PPBM president and former deputy prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin also did not hold up a placard supporting Anwar to be PM.

This was despite other Pakatan party leaders like DAP’s Lim Kit Siang and Parti Amanah Negara’s Mohammad Sabu endorsing Anwar for the country’s top post.