Ex-AG: Dr M pushed himself as interim PM after Agong proposed Wan Azizah
Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad intervened and insisted on being appointed interim prime minister when the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah proposed his deputy Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail to the position, revealed former attorney-general (AG) Tommy Thomas.
In another revelation in Thomas' new book 'My Story: Justice in the Wilderness' which was published yesterday, the former AG also pointed the blame for the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government firmly at Mahathir.
"Primary responsibility for the failure to manage the Harapan coalition rests with its leader, Prime Minister Mahathir. The buck stops at the desk of the Harapan leader.
"The goodwill of the electorate towards Tun (Mahathir) in the early months of Harapan's rule was magical," wrote Thomas.
However, he said that Mahathir's encouragement of Umno MPs to defect to Bersatu sent alarm bells ringing.
"Being kept out of the cabinet only increased (PKR president) Anwar Ibrahim's insecurity.
"What compounded his doubt of ever becoming prime minister was the apparent tilt, particularly in the first year of Harapan's administration, by the prime minister toward Anwar's arch-enemy in PKR, Azmin Ali," said Thomas.
In another revelation in Thomas' new book 'My Story: Justice in the Wilderness' which was published yesterday, the former AG also pointed the blame for the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government firmly at Mahathir.
"Primary responsibility for the failure to manage the Harapan coalition rests with its leader, Prime Minister Mahathir. The buck stops at the desk of the Harapan leader.
"The goodwill of the electorate towards Tun (Mahathir) in the early months of Harapan's rule was magical," wrote Thomas.
However, he said that Mahathir's encouragement of Umno MPs to defect to Bersatu sent alarm bells ringing.
"Being kept out of the cabinet only increased (PKR president) Anwar Ibrahim's insecurity.
"What compounded his doubt of ever becoming prime minister was the apparent tilt, particularly in the first year of Harapan's administration, by the prime minister toward Anwar's arch-enemy in PKR, Azmin Ali," said Thomas.
Mahathir then set about trying to form a unity government that cut across party lines, in direct contravention of his initial promise to hand over the premiership to Anwar.
"The inaction and inertia that marked Harapan's response to racial and religious issues also resulted in another bizarre decision by the prime minister.
"Instead of defending his colleagues, with whom he had done battle prior to the 14th general election, Tun reached out to MPs from Umno, welcoming them with open arms.
"Two or three waves of Umno 'frogs', totalling about 18 defected to Bersatu," Thomas wrote.
When Azmin defected, and things came to a head during the "Sheraton Move" in February last year, Mahathir resigned as prime minister but promptly put forward his own name for the position, Thomas revealed.
"This is probably without precedent in modern politics. A prime minister who is comfortably in power, resigns of his own free will and volition.
"Consistent with that decision, he should leave the political scene after holding the most important position in the state," he said.
"The inaction and inertia that marked Harapan's response to racial and religious issues also resulted in another bizarre decision by the prime minister.
"Instead of defending his colleagues, with whom he had done battle prior to the 14th general election, Tun reached out to MPs from Umno, welcoming them with open arms.
"Two or three waves of Umno 'frogs', totalling about 18 defected to Bersatu," Thomas wrote.
When Azmin defected, and things came to a head during the "Sheraton Move" in February last year, Mahathir resigned as prime minister but promptly put forward his own name for the position, Thomas revealed.
"This is probably without precedent in modern politics. A prime minister who is comfortably in power, resigns of his own free will and volition.
"Consistent with that decision, he should leave the political scene after holding the most important position in the state," he said.
Thomas added that the potential appointment of Wan Azizah would have been the correct constitutional decision.
He also attacked Mahathir's decision to dissolve his cabinet upon his resignation, saying that when prime ministers resign, their cabinets usually stay.
"It must be kept in mind that Tun's resignation was personal, only as prime minister. The resignation was confined to that office, not the entire government."
He also attacked Mahathir's decision to dissolve his cabinet upon his resignation, saying that when prime ministers resign, their cabinets usually stay.
"It must be kept in mind that Tun's resignation was personal, only as prime minister. The resignation was confined to that office, not the entire government."
TT was kerbau to KT before, now KT quotes the kerbau?
ReplyDeleteI believe TT. He is after all a good Christian...ha ha ha. Toonsie will rebut with his version of events of course, but......nah.....
Toonsie tried to kill three birds with one stone: rid himself of Anwar and DAP, unite all the Malay parties under one umbrella and set himself up as the leader. It was a big gamble, all chips on double zero. It didn’t go as he hoped.
The Agong was ill-advised. He should have gone with Wan Azizah as PM to be succeeded by Anwar after PD by-election. And DAP get DPM of course....ha ha ha...not groveling, 42 mah....
ReplyDeleteThen everything would have been OK, Dr Dzul still Minister of Health, Dr Noor Hisham would still be doing an exemplary job as a Datuk Seri, not Tan Sri, no Menteri Air Suam, no Yiddin as PM, Musa Aman still court case, no Sabah election, no second wave etc etc.
y propose not appoint? what happened if the appointed pm wan azizah hv less than 112 mp support? until yoday i still dun understand how party that lose election can become a govt, moreover is a malay muslim govt, god oso no eyes see n wuhanvirus is the retribution if follow pas logic?
ReplyDeleteThere r many things within & without bolihland that a mfering katak, like u, CAN'T understand.
DeleteAll u have had & wanted is our f*cked Formosa-ised fart to live through yr days under that fart filled well!
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