.JPG "Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad inspects a guard of honour during his visit to the Ministry of Defence in Kuala Lumpur February 21, 2019. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri")
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 21 — The ruling Pakatan Harapan plans to use the Semenyih state by-election next month to gauge public support for Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister, Opposition party PAS claimed today.
Its information chief, Nasrudin Hassan, purported that PH’s loss in the Cameron Highlands federal by-election shook the pact, with other component parties uninterested in winning Semenyih except Dr Mahathir’s Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM).
“They see Dr Mahathir as PH’s current liability and is causing the public to lose faith in the government.
“Therefore, the Semenyih by-election is PH’s ‘referendum’ towards Dr Mahathir,” Nasrudin claimed.
He also said PAS has sensed PH components’ alleged political machinations, causing the Islamist party to call on the prime minister recently.
Contrary to Nasrudin’s claim, PH component leaders have actively campaigned in Semenyih.
Parti Amanah Negara president Mohamad Sabu was there last night, and PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali joined a ceramah last week.
Last week, PAS confirmed it has thrown its support behind the leadership of Dr Mahathir until the next general election.
Its secretary-general, Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan, said PAS delivered a document expressing the party’s commitment to Dr Mahathir.
Nasrudin had on Monday said PAS is supporting Dr Mahathir since the latter is seemingly “alone” in PH in defending Malay-Muslim interests.
