SHAH ALAM, Jan 7 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad will again be Malaysia’s prime minister if Pakatan Harapan wins federal power, the pact announced at its convention today.

In the agreement signed by all component party leaders, Dr Mahathir must also give way for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to serve as the next prime minister once the new government obtains a royal pardon for the latter.

Anwar is currently serving a five-year sentence for sodomy, and will not be eligible to contest in the 14th general election due to his disqualification.

The agreement signed yesterday puts an end to speculation regarding the pact’s choice for the position.

PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail was named as the candidate for deputy prime minister.

The agreement was signed by Dr Mahathir, Dr Wan Azizah, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, DAP chairman Tan Kok Wai, and Parti Amanah Negara president Mohamad Sabu.

The agreement was read out by the PH secretariat chief Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah.

Dr Mahathir, 92, was the prime minister from 1981 until 2003, the longest any politician has held the post in the country’s history.

Up until his latest resignation from Umno and subsequent formation of PPBM, his current allies in the Opposition had blamed him for much of the country’s current problems.

His entry into the PH pact has also caused unrest among those who still hold him responsible for, among others, the judicial crisis of 1988 and stripping the powers of the country’s royalty.

Some of the country’s biggest scandals and controversies occurred during his time, including the 1987 Ops Lalang security crackdown that had detained some of his current allies as well as Bank Negara Malaysia’s RM31.5 billion losses from rogue currency trading.