KUALA LUMPUR, NOV 23 — The public is upset by the uncertainty surrounding Pakatan Harapan’s supposed leadership transition, said Merdeka Center programme director Ibrahim Suffian.

He said Malaysian politics was too personality-based and supporters would typically lose trust if their perceived leaders appeared to collide.

“The point in time when Selangor underwent a small mentri besar crisis (in 2014) and changes Perak back in 2009 but in that moment in time, people get disoriented and unhappy with government.

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“But these sentiments go away once things have been reset. Once the transition is set, whether there will be transition or no transition, once it becomes certain, people will just move on.

“People did not want to see leaders bickering, they want leaders to implement the policy,” he said in the Post Tanjung Piai by-election discussion organised by Cent-GPS and ZCG at the Putra World Trade Centre last night.

Ibrahim was responding to a question on whether the power transition from Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim affected support for PH.

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The topic has been discussed since PH defeated BN in the general election.

On Thursday, Dr Mahathir said he and Anwar agree that there is too much tension over their plan of succession.

He said after his meeting with Anwar earlier, both agreed that PH should talk less about this and focus on serving the public. 

Dr Mahathir has repeatedly said he will not renege on his promise to step aside for Anwar despite calls for him to stay on from both sides of the political divide.

However, no confirmed timeline has yet been announced.