KUALA LUMPUR, May 10 — Recalling DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang’s ‘quit’ dare on May 10, 2019 during the Sandakan by-election, Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan today asked why Lim has not stepped down from politics.
Mohamad, who is popularly known as Tok Mat, raised this question as he recalled Lim’s willingness to bet his political career on Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s pledge that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be the next prime minister.
He said it has been two years since the pledge was made by Dr Mahathir, and instead of becoming prime minister Anwar has returned as leader of the Opposition bloc and Lim as an Opposition MP in Parliament.
“Lim made the bet in wake of my statement in which I said that I was not sure if Dr Mahathir will fulfill his promise to resign as the prime minister and pass it on to Anwar after two years.
“Lim who said he trusted Dr Mahathir made a bet that he would retire from politics and will not contest in the 15th General Election (GE15) if Dr Mahathir does not fulfil his promise.
Mohamad pointed out that Lim’s predictions has derailed.
“Lim has promised to step down from politics many times, but these promises were never fulfilled. He continues to contest in the election as if DAP would have no direction without his presence,” he said.
Mohamad added that he has given up on Lim’s bets since the latter’s political journey has always been painted by bets, false promises and failures.
Lim had in 2019 said he has more confidence in Dr Mahathir and he was prepared to have a wager with Mohamad that Dr Mahathir will honour the Pakatan Harapan commitment to pass the prime minister’s post to Anwar.
He had said that if Dr Mahathir does not pass the prime M-minister’s post to Anwar and instead dissolve Parliament to call for early GE15, he will retire from politics and will not contest in the general election.
Lim also challenged Mohamad to do the same, if the former wins the bet.
In a campaign speech at Sandakan in May 2019, Mohamad claimed that Dr Mahathir will not keep his promise of passing on the prime minister’s post to Anwar even after two years.
The Rantau state assemblyman said he was familiar with Dr Mahathir’s character and from what he knows, the latter will not relinquish the post to Anwar.
