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KUALA LUMPUR – Two-time former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s labelling of Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as a “betrayer” has not sat well with the latter, who lambasted the Pejuang chairman for his scorn.
In a tell-all lengthy Facebook post today, Muhyiddin, who is also Bersatu president, revealed that Dr Mahathir had sent him a letter stating his resignation as prime minister on February 24, 2020. This was a day after the Bersatu supreme council had decided to leave the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition.
Muhyiddin said Dr Mahathir, who was then Bersatu chairman, was the one who first instigated moves to pull the party from PH, which was the ruling coalition at the time.
“(Dr Mahathir) had initially made moves for Bersatu to leave PH, but he made a U-turn at the final moment after a PH presidential council meeting on February 21, 2020 decided that the coalition will continue to support him as prime minister.
“(After PH said it would support Dr Mahathir as prime minister), he tried to convince the Bersatu supreme council to remain in PH, but the party unanimously decided against it,” Muhyiddin said.
He also questioned Dr Mahathir’s decision to resign as prime minister, pointing out that the latter would have had sufficient support to remain as prime minister even if Bersatu had left PH.
“Although disappointed with the call made by the Bersatu supreme council (to leave PH), (Dr Mahathir) should not have resigned (as prime minister).
“This is because there were then 138 sworn statements from Bersatu, PKR, PAS, BN, GPS, PBS and Warisan MPS stating their backing for (Dr Mahathir) as prime minister,” Muhyiddin said, noting that he was one of the MPs who had pledged their support.
Last Friday, Mahathir, who is now chairman of Pejuang and also of its coalition Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA), had said that he is willing to forget Muhyiddin’s “betrayal” so that GTA and PN can work together to face the 15th general election (GE15).
“I thought, it is okay even though he had stabbed me in the back before. For the sake of our people, country, and religion, we are willing to humble ourselves to cooperate with Muhyiddin, even after he had betrayed me, I am willing to forget about it.
“But… he said he did not want to cooperate with anyone, how arrogant,” Mahathir had told a GTA rally in Alor Star.
Muhyiddin also claimed that top leaders from PAS and Umno had suggested that he shoulder the post of prime minister following Dr Mahathir’s resignation – something the Pagoh incumbent was initially against.
“During a special Bersatu supreme council meeting (after Dr Mahathir stepped down), it was agreed that we would nominate Dr Mahathir for the post of prime minister again. All Bersatu MPs were ordered to support him.
“I rejected proposals by PAS and Umno presidents to nominate me as prime minister because of the party’s decision to support Dr Mahathir.”
Muhyiddin added that he had only conceded to PAS and Umno’s offer when Dr Mahathir failed to garner the majority support in Parliament to be appointed prime minister.
“As a sign of respect, I met with him (Dr Mahathir) to request for his support. He (Dr Mahathir) told me that he is willing to support me as a prime minister if I manage to get the backing of MPs.
“Unfortunately, he (Dr Mahathir) made another U-turn by attempting to nominate himself to go against me.
“As such, did I stab him (Dr Mahathir) in the back? Am I a traitor? I did what I did to save my religion, race and nation. I am not a traitor.”
He also said he will elaborate in a separate Facebook post the reasons why Bersatu had opted to withdraw from PH. – The Vibes, October 30, 2022