PUTRAJAYA, Feb 6 — The Pakatan Harapan (PH) government is a steady ship with Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad at the helm, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said today, in the wake of a purported merger bid by the Opposition and select components under the coalition.

Speaking to the press at his ministry’s Chinese New Year do here, Loke also called on the public to ignore rumours on the issue.

This followed a report by Singapore’s Straits Times that yesterday, claiming Umno may back Dr Mahathir to serve out his full term, purportedly in an attempt to prevent Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim from succeeding him.

Citing unnamed party sources and a recording of Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the report said the party’s top leaders were pushing to rally support for Dr Mahathir to stay in office.

"Don’t waste time on rumours. We are facing a crisis. I think the whole world is facing a crisis. We should work towards the betterment of the country and we should all come together to fight the (Wuhan) virus and restore our economy,” he said.

Loke added that since many industries seem spooked over the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-NCoV) outbreak, the government is working on placating them.

"I think we don’t waste time on those rumours. There will continuously be rumours here and there, and of course, there are a lot of opportunists who want to destabilise the government.

"As far as we are concerned, the current PH government under the leadership of Tun Dr Mahathir is strong and stable. So don’t waste time on rumours,” Loke said when met after the event.

Earlier today, Dr Mahathir weighed in on the matter, amid rumours of a tripartite cooperation proposal between his Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) Umno and PAS, admitting that he has received their offers to support him, without elaborating further.

Instead, the nonagenarian said that he is expecting Umno and PAS to support changes proposed by his administration in Parliament.

"Yeah [Umno is] saying that [it will support me]. Even PAS is willing to work with me. I told them, if you want to work with me [then] support.

"In Parliament, when we do something, I think they should support not just opposed blindly,” he told a press conference after his address to the Education Ministry here.