BUKIT KAYU HITAM: Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (BERSATU) has quashed Datuk Seri Khairuddin Abu Hassan's claim that a plan has been devised to unseat Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as the prime minister.
Bersatu’s secretary-general Datuk Marzuki Yahya said the matter should not have arisen because Dr Mahathir was the leader of an elected government, through the consensus of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) component parties.
He urged Khairuddin, who is PH's communications and mobility committee member, to respect the people and refrain from issuing personal statements.
"That's his view ... how do you topple (an elected leader) when the people have already voted (for him)?
“In order to comment on something, we must first have respect for the people who have given the mandate and support to the PH.
"The people have put their hopes in PH especially Dr Mahathir to restore the country, so there shouldn’t be any interpretations about bringing him down," he said at a press conference at Institut Pemikiran Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (IPDM) at Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) here, yesterday.
Earlier, the deputy foreign affairs minister attended the Santai Bersama YB programme at IPDM. It featured the topic ‘Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's Leadership Legacy’.
Khairuddin claimed on Saturday that a plan was hatched to overthrow Dr Mahathir as prime minister, devised by disgruntled quarters who were frustrated as they did not secure any position in PH.
Meanwhile, Marzuki said a request had been made for PH leaders not to issue any statements that may lead to confusion or show signs of discord between party members, as it would only annoy the people.
He said the people had given the mandate to PH as a government to restore the country, so opposing views by the leaders should be discussed on the right platforms.
"Instead of slugging it out in public, any differences in opinions should be discussed, or the people will be disgusted. There is no need to issue statements than can be misleading,” he said.
Meanwhile in Kuala Lumpur, Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu dismissed Khairuddin’s claims by saying that the prime minister can only be removed through a general election.
During a press conference on the sidelines of the Ex-Servicemen Affairs’ (Perhebat) 52nd convocation here today, Mohamad, who is popularly known as Mat Sabu, implied that it was normal for the opposition to hatch such a plot.
However, when a reporter pointed out that the one who raised the issue was PH’s own, Mohamad declined to comment further.
“I have no information (regarding Khairuddin’s statement),” Mohamad said, adding criticism from members of government was a normal process of democracy.
He noted that the PH administration had no issue with such matters as they practice an open political culture.
“We (members of the administration) are free to be criticised. For me (as Defence Minister), I carry out my work to the best of my capabilities.
“If possible, I wish for there be 34 hours instead of 24 hours in a day, but there are only 24-hour days.
“Criticism is normal in the world of democracy. The existing criticisms are not at a worrying level.
“Criticism is normal at every level of government,” said Mohamad, who is also Parti Amanah Negara president.
Recently, Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman and Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P. Ramasamy traded barbs over the issue of whether P. Waytha Moorthy should resign as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department.
Waytha Moorthy, who holds the portfolio of National Unity and Social Wellbeing, faced calls to resign following his statement over the recent riots at Sri Maha Mariamman temple at Subang Jaya late last month.
The unrest on Nov 26 and 27 claimed the life of fireman Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim, who died of injuries when he was beaten by a mob on the second day of the riot.
