PPBM wants Dr M, Muhyiddin to head Pakatan Harapan

(MMO) – Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) has proposed that its leaders Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin be appointed Pakatan Harapan’s chairman and president, with PKR’s Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as adviser.

In PPBM’s proposal for the official Pakatan Harapan presidential council lineup, the less-than-a-year-old party suggested that PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah be the Opposition pact’s deputy chair, PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali as Pakatan Harapan deputy president, and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) president Mohamad Sabu as the coalition’s vice presidents.

“This is the format put forward by Bersatu,” a Pakatan Harapan leader told Malay Mail Online on condition of anonymity.

The source claimed that the DAP and Amanah were unhappy with PPBM’s proposed Pakatan Harapan leadership lineup amid the coalition’s efforts to formally register with the Registrar of Societies, ahead of the 14th general election due by August next year.

Malay Mail Online understands that the Pakatan Harapan presidential council’s meeting this morning will discuss PPBM’s proposal.

Pakatan Harapan’s initial proposal had placed Dr Wan Azizah as chair of the federal Opposition coalition, together with Muhyiddin, Mohamad and Lim as the vice chairmen.

PPBM’s proposal, however, retained PKR’s Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah and DAP vice president M. Kulasegaran as Pakatan Harapan secretary-general and treasurer respectively.

PPBM, whose chair is former prime minister Dr Mahathir and whose president is ex-deputy prime minister Muhyiddin, only officially joined Pakatan Harapan in March.

When contacted by Malay Mail Online to verify PPBM’s proposal, PPBM strategist Dr Rais Hussin said: “These delicate discussions are being done behind closed doors. I am afraid I will not be able to comment.”

Lim told Malay Mail Online that PPBM’s purported list was “never tabled nor discussed at PH meetings officially.”

Amanah communications director Khalid Samad told Malay Mail Online he was unaware of PPBM’s proposal, but said he was personally “not keen” on it.

PKR secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said: “Any proposal on the PH structure has to be agreed by way of consensus as all parties in PH are equal partners.”