KLANG, Feb 25 ― Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today said that he does not need PAS' support for him to continue serving as prime minister amid rumours of a vote of no confidence in his leadership.
In a press conference here, the PM said that he does not need PAS' support as he is currently already enjoying support from more than 50 per cent of MPs in Parliament.
“I need about 50 per cent more support from MPs. I don't need support from PAS because Pakatan Harapan itself has more than half [the] seats in the Dewan Rakyat,” Dr Mahathir told reporters.
He said PAS is however free to support him, adding that there is no need for the party to convey that to him directly.
Dr Mahathir had yesterday reportedly expressed confusion with PAS' stand, adding that he does not understand the attitude of the Islamist party which he said was always changing, despite expressing support for him to stay on as prime minister, Bernama reported.
The national news agency quoted him saying that previously, several PAS leaders had met him and pledged their support for him to remain as prime minister, and later, in a different scenario, was seen acting in a way that is not supportive of the former.
Dr Mahathir reportedly said that PAS’ move to not contest in several by-elections also raises the question if they were actually collaborating with Umno to oppose the Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate, which he largely viewed as not being in support of his leadership.
On February 14, PAS confirmed it has thrown its support behind Dr Mahathir's leadership until the next general election.
Its secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said in a statement after the party’s central committee meeting in Marang, that PAS had issued a document expressing the party’s commitment to Dr Mahathir.
Dr Mahathir, who once headed Umno, is now the chairman of PH component Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, and is clawing for support from the country’s Malay Muslim group, the largest democratic voter profile.
The issue has since spawned another controversy concerning a much-rumoured no-confidence vote against Dr Mahathir when the Dewan Rakyat resumes sitting next month.
Dr Mahathir had drily remarked recently, that the no-confidence move would be a good test for PAS to prove its support for his leadership.
