Mahathir's resignation as party leader casts doubts about his role

Sources say he stepped down because he disagreed with PPBM leaders on leaving PH

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The announcement by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad yesterday that he would not only resign as prime minister but also step down as the chairman of his own party is raising questions about the 94-year-old's role in the chaos that led to the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government he led.

Sources say he quit because he disagreed with the decision by other Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) leaders to ditch PH and bring Umno leaders into the Cabinet, as he had just ousted them from power, having deemed them to be corrupt.

Up to the point Dr Mahathir said he was stepping down as the leader of PPBM, the party he founded just 31/2 years ago, some observers had believed the premier was behind the plan to undermine PH.

If successful, PPBM would be the cream of this new ruling alliance of Malay-centric parties, instead of one of the smaller parties in the current government.

And Dr Mahathir would not have had to go along with the agreement among PH members for him to hand over the reins to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

But yesterday's resignations, coupled with backing for Dr Mahathir from parties remaining with PH, put paid to the speculation.

Nevertheless, Dr Mahathir's own actions and words in recent months had also fuelled speculation.

On Jan 20, he said that he can work with everyone except former premier Najib Razak "because he broke the law... stealing government money".

Dr Mahathir has been photographed in a meeting with Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi - who also faces dozens of graft charges - at least twice, and meeting Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) president Abdul Hadi Awang several times, since PH came to power.

In the last few weeks when allegations emerged that people were going around in Umno collecting statutory declarations to support him, Dr Mahathir did not dissuade them. This was despite widespread talk that the move would result in Umno getting back into power.

Dr Mahathir has also been chummy with Islamist party PAS.

He has given the PAS-ruled Terengganu some RM1 billion (S$330 million) as petroleum royalty funds as the federal government digs up oil and gas wells offshore. He also raised eyebrows when it was recently revealed that he gave RM400 million in cash to the Kelantan government, another state controlled by PAS.

His decision yesterday to quit the PPBM chairmanship had PH leaders like Mr Anwar saying this was because Dr Mahathir does not want to abandon PH or work with Umno.

Dr Mahathir also quit as prime minister yesterday. But just hours after resigning, he was made caretaker Prime Minister by the King, in order to ensure the country's stability.

Dr Mahathir will continue to run the country's administration until a new prime minister and Cabinet are appointed, chief secretary to the government Mohd Zuki Ali said in a statement.

The appointment shows that he still commands the most support, from both sides of the aisle, to keep the administration on an even keel.

Dr Mahathir himself has not said anything about the machinations of the past 48 hours, the reasons behind them and whether he had a hand in them.

Earlier, several PH party leaders who had gone to Dr Mahathir's bungalow in the Country Heights gated community at the southern edge of Kuala Lumpur had nothing but praise for him.

Mr Anwar, the man who has the most to lose if a new alliance replaced PH, said Dr Mahathir was not the hidden hand behind the move to topple PH.

"It was not him, his name was used (by) those within my party and outside. And he (Mahathir) reiterated what he said earlier, he played no part in it.

"He had been clear, there is no way he will ever work with those associated with the past regime," Mr Anwar said.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on February 25, 2020, with the headline Mahathir's resignation as party leader casts doubts about his role. Subscribe