Mahathir vows to step down for Anwar, but not before next November

KUALA LUMPUR • Malaysia's Mahathir Mohamad, the world's oldest prime minister, promised yesterday to hand over power to his anointed successor Anwar Ibrahim in spite of new sexual assault allegations against the latter.

Tun Dr Mahathir, 94, told Reuters that he would not hand over power before a summit of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) countries that Malaysia is to host next November, but could be ready after that.

"I made a promise to hand over and I will, accepting that I thought that a change immediately before the Apec summit would be disruptive," he said. "As far as I'm concerned, I'm stepping down, and I'm handing the baton to him. If people don't want him, that is their business, but I will do my part of the promise... irrespective of whatever allegation. I made my promise, I keep my promise."

Asked if a handover could come next December, he said: "We'll look at that when the time comes."

The turbulent relationship between the two men - allies turned fierce rivals who later reunited to win power - has shaped politics in Malaysia for decades.

Dr Mahathir was unexpectedly elected last year as head of a coalition government whose largest party is led by Datuk Seri Anwar, 72, who has been jailed twice on separate counts of sodomy and for corruption - charges that he said were politically motivated.

Last week, Mr Anwar denied fresh allegations by a former aide that he had tried to force him to have sex - describing the accusations as "politics at its worst".

This is Dr Mahathir's second stint as Prime Minister, a post he previously held from 1981 to 2003. Mr Anwar was his deputy from 1993 to 1998, when the two fell out.

Mr Anwar was jailed the following year.

Although Dr Mahathir promised to hand over power to Mr Anwar during last year's election campaign, doubts grew over his intentions when he later said he needed more time to steer the indebted country out of its troubles first.

As well as planning to be the first leader in the world to host the Apec summit twice, Dr Mahathir has been pushing to cement his legacy as a leader in the Muslim world.

A summit in Kuala Lumpur next week would bring together leaders from Iran, Pakistan and other Muslim countries, officials said. Dr Mahathir said the meeting would look into situations where Muslims were being oppressed.

REUTERS

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on December 11, 2019, with the headline Mahathir vows to step down for Anwar, but not before next November. Subscribe