PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir has hit out at opposition leaders for withdrawing their support for Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad after initially backing him as prime minister.
The Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) deputy president and Jerlun MP said their true intentions were revealed with their latest actions, despite their claims that their support for Dr Mahathir was done "in the people's interests".
"They (Barisan, PAS and PBRS MPs) signed the original statutory declaration with no conditions attached. After the matter has to come to a head, they demand that their votes have to be taken en bloc, Dr Mahathir has to abandon Pakatan now, and their latest condition is they do not want DAP in.
"They say it's in the people's interest when, in fact, it's to save Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (from their corruption trials).
"The rakyat is not stupid," said Datuk Seri Mukhriz who is also Kedah chief minister and the son of Dr Mahathir.
He was commenting on the statements made by leaders from Barisan Nasional, Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) after their meeting with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Tuesday (Feb 25).
Umno secretary-general Annuar Musa had said the parties initially agreed to form a coalition government headed by Dr Mahathir on the condition that the DAP would not be part of it.
He said that they had retracted their statutory declaration of support for Dr Mahathir, adding that they had also rejected the latter's proposal for a unity government.
Tan Sri Annuar, who is Ketereh MP, said Umno, PAS, the Malaysian Chinese Association, the Malaysian Indian Congress and PBRS had unanimously agreed that a dissolution of Parliament was the only way forward.
Former prime minister Najib Razak and Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi are facing a slew of corruption charges in relation to their tenure in the previous government.
Mr Mukhriz further said that as much as they wanted to join Dr Mahathir to form a government, Barisan Nasional leaders have yet to state that they will not be supporting corrupt leaders.
"To date, we have not heard from Umno and Barisan that if they were to form a government (with Bersatu), the trials involving their former president Najib, his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor and present president Ahmad Zahid will continue without interference, and that any verdict will be accepted by them," said Mr Mukhriz.
In the past few weeks, MPs from both sides of the then Pakatan Harapan ruling coalition and opposition parties, including Barisan, signed statutory declarations stating their support for Dr Mahathir to complete a full term as prime minister.
Political developments then saw PPBM leaving Pakatan, defections from PKR and the coming together of MPs from both sides of the divide in support of Dr Mahathir as the premier.
On Monday, Dr Mahathir tendered his resignation as prime minister, which was accepted by the Malaysian King the following day.
However, the King has consented for Dr Mahathir to continue running the country as interim prime minister until a new premier has been appointed and a new Cabinet formed.
The King is currently in the midst of interviewing all MPs to determine who commands the majority of support in Parliament.
