KUALA LUMPUR, March 8 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today he would only consider a meeting with Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on one condition — political leaders particularly from Umno implicated in corruption must be gotten rid of first.
Dr Mahathir, who is Langkawi MP, was quoted saying by Astro Awani that there is no need to meet Muhyiddin at the moment to mend the ongoing political disagreement between the two if the said condition could not be fulfilled.
“He wanted to see me. I met with him previously and I have stated my stance. I never change. I made a promise not to work with leaders involved in corruption.
“Muhyiddin himself too made a promise as what we have seen in a video clip where he said he would never work with Umno.
“Now he accepts Umno as the biggest party in his government while his party Bersatu is only six original MPs whereas Umno has 51 (including those that joined Bersatu).
“I don’t see a reason why I should see him, unless he is willing to get rid of those people, maybe can meet but will consider,” he was quoted saying.
Dr Mahathir also confirmed he has received a letter from Muhyiddin requesting for a meet between the two at the soonest.
However, he said he had to decline the offer as the prime minister has made known his stance by forming the Perikatan Nasional government with Umno MPs.
Earlier, Bersatu’s Supreme Council member Wan Saiful Wan Jan expressed hope that Dr Mahathir would meet with Muhyiddin after calls from the party grassroots urging both leaders to make peace and strengthen the party.
Besides Dr Mahathir, Wan Saiful also pleaded with Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, who is Bersatu deputy president, to do the same in solving the conflict.
He said this was because all three leaders formed the backbone of the party’s formation.
Dr Mahathir resigned unexpectedly as the prime minister last month, triggering a political crisis that culminated in Muhyiddin’s appointment as the eighth PM of Malaysia leading the so-called Perikatan Nasional-GPS coalition.
