[UPDATED] Muhyiddin wants to be PM again, says Dr Mahathir as he confirms meeting

KUALA LUMPUR – Pejuang chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today played down chances of his party cooperating with former ally and Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin following a meeting a fortnight ago.

Dr Mahathir affirmed reports of him having a meeting with the Bersatu president, revealing Muhyiddin had sought for Pejuang’s support in his bid to become prime minister again.

However, Dr Mahathir said it remains unlikely for him to realign with Muhyiddin and Bersatu, a party they formed together in 2017.

“When he was PM, a lot of people were unsatisfied with his leadership. He was not a good PM, and that is why nobody wants him as PM again; if he achieved great things for Malaysia, I am confident he doesn’t need my support to win.

“We are not thinking about that, we are not going to support somebody as a prime minister who was as much of a failure as (Datuk Seri) Najib (Razak) was,” the nonagenarian said during a press conference at Yayasan Albukhary.

Dr Mahathir said with only four MPs, any support for Muhyiddin from Pejuang would be marginal at most.

“Well, he asked me for support, and knows Pejuang lost in the recent election and that we are not so strong, and we know we don’t have money, but he still asked us to support him.”

When pressed further as to why them working together would be unlikely, Dr Mahathir said Muhyiddin’s role in the Sheraton Move coup that forced him to resign as the country’s seventh prime minister as one of the factors.

“Well, I don’t know what to say. I am no longer the prime minister, because of Muhyiddin; he backstabbed me, and that is why I am not prime minister anymore.

“But now he is asking for help from the people he has backstabbed, and since we are not dead, he has come again to ask for help.”

Ultimately, Dr Mahathir said Pejuang has yet to decide on whether to work with Muhyiddin, adding how it was not a pressing issue for him.

He added that cooperation with any party or coalition for a general election will have to stem from their mutual agreement to combat corruption.

This was after Pejuang president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir confirmed the meeting between Dr Mahathir and Muhyiddin, saying it was to discuss cooperation for the impending 15th general election, but a decision has yet to be made. – The Vibes, April 1, 2022