PADANG TERAP: The confession by Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) deputy president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir that he harbours the desire to become a prime minister does not come as a surprise.
Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said Mukhriz's confession just confirmed earlier claims that he had all this while had the ambition to become a prime minister.
Mahdzir, who is also Education Minister said Mukhriz's desire for the number one post was evident when he ran for the Umno vice-president race in 2013.
"It was clear to us that Mukhriz has the desire to become a prime minister when he contested for one of the three slots for the Umno vice-president post when he was the Kedah Menteri Besar, with the backing of his father Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
"To me, his confession at the Kuala Lumpur High Court did not come as a surprise at all," he told reporters after attending a gathering with residents in Kampung Perik, Kuala Nerang here.
Mahdzir, who is also Padang Terap MP was commenting on Mukhriz's confession that he harbours the desire to become a prime minister during the trial of his defamation lawsuit against former DAP vice chairman Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim at the Kuala Lumpur High Court.
However, Mukhriz, who is also Ayer Hitam assemblyman denied that there was a secret pact to make him the prime minister, between his father, who is PPBM chairman and DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang, if the opposition coalition wins the 14th General Election (GE14).
In his witness statement, Mukhriz said everyone in the political arena has desires to become a leader, including becoming a prime minister but it has to be through a sincere and transparent ways, not through deception, complot, evil or secret pacts as claimed by Tunku Abdul Aziz.
He had contended the claim made by Tunku Abdul Aziz that he had a “secret deal” or “secret pact” with his father and Kit Siang were slanderous.
In the suit filed on Feb 7 last year, Mukhriz claimed that Tunku Abdul Aziz had made statements about an alleged pact to make Mukhriz the prime minister and Lim Kit Siang the deputy prime minister.
He said that on Dec 30 last year, Tunku Abdul Aziz made a statement containing defamatory words in the AIDCNews blog.
The statement was published in various media, portals and blogs, and Mukhriz denied the allegation on Jan 1 to restore his reputation.
