KOTA KINABALU, May 8 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad will not keep his promise of passing on the prime minister’s post to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim even after two years, said Umno acting president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
The Rantau MP said he was familiar with Dr Mahathir’s character and from what he knows, the latter will not relinquish the post to Anwar.
“I’ve worked with the grandpa for a long time. Trust me, I know the man; he won’t give it up,” he told a ceramah in Bandar Letat Jaya here today.
“Instead, when the time is up in two years, he will sooner dissolve Parliament and call for fresh elections instead,” he said, adding that the election will be called as soon as the end of next year.
Mohamad, who is also known as Tok Mat, said the Pakatan Harapan government had not kept its election promises and has also let the country’s economy slip.
In propping his party up, he said that Umno and PAS in Peninsular Malaysia worked together to unite the Malay-Muslims there for the same political agenda while Sabah Umno had the freedom to determine its own direction.
“It’s not one size fits all. They should be given the space to be independent and do what they need to do,” he said.
He noted that in Sabah, the racial makeup was different and commendable and hoped that Umno could continue the united front with the help of PBS.
Mohamad was campaigning for Parti Bersatu Sabah candidate Datuk Linda Tsen in the Sandakan by election during the ceramah.
Tsen is facing a five-cornered fight against DAP’s Vivian Wong and three independent candidates.
Earlier, Umno state liaison chief Datuk Bung Moktar Radin and Umno Sepanggar division chief Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan also spoke at the ceramah attended by some 500 people.
More are expected at an Umno ceramah on Friday, the last day before polling.
Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is also expected to speak at the final ceramah.
