On ‘deadline’ evening, Pakatan says still undecided on PM candidate

This comes as rumours on social media suggested that PH Plus may have the support of up to 129 MPs should it make a move against Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Perikatan Nasional.

(MMO) – Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) discussion on its prime minister candidate is still ongoing, its chief secretary Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said tonight amid a self-imposed deadline of this evening to decide.

In a brief statement, Saifuddin who is also PKR secretary-general dismissed several media reports reporting otherwise, saying they are not the official stance of either PH or PH Plus — the moniker of the alliance between PH, Parti Warisan Sabah, and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s faction in Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.

“I have been following a number of media reports related to the prime minister’s candidate and would like to assert that these statements are not grounded in either Pakatan Harapan nor Pakatan Harapan Plus.

“While we respect the views and comments made by various parties, it is informed that discussions are still taking place between the Pakatan Harapan component and opposition partners,” he said in the statement.

Saifuddin also added that an official statement will be published as soon as the parties make their decision.

It is believed that PH is currently meeting the deliberate on the matter before another meeting with its allies in PH Plus.

Malay Mail previously reported sources saying Pakatan Plus had proposed for PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to be the deputy prime minister under Dr Mahathir, together with another deputy in Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.

It is believed that the proposal had two conditions: that Dr Mahathir would only be prime minister for six months, and that Anwar must command the support from Sabah and Sarawak.

There have been several conflicting reports this evening stating that PH has either agreed on Dr Mahathir or has rejected the proposal entirely in favour of Anwar.

Prior to the fall of the PH administration, PH had agreed that the transition of power from Dr Mahathir towards Anwar should be left in the hands of the former prime minister, who had vowed that it would have been after the Apec Summit in November this year.

This comes as rumours on social media suggested that PH Plus may have the support of up to 129 MPs should it make a move against Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Perikatan Nasional. This number has been disputed by PN MPs.

It is believed that talks of snap polls have intensified within PN, which is also facing internal squabbles, especially between former rivals Umno and its splinter Bersatu, and has yet to decide if it will still back Muhyiddin as prime minister should a general election be called.