PKR prime minister seat warmer proposal irresponsible: Analyst

KUALA LUMPUR: It was irresponsible of PKR to have proposed a seat warmer for the topmost important government position in the country - the post of prime minister.
Political analyst Wan Saiful Wan Jan said the party needed to grow up and realise that the prime ministerial post is not something that can be simply passed around.
He was responding to PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli's announcement at the party's convention that its president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail would be the interim prime minister should the opposition win the election, pending her husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's release from prison.
"Even gardeners in schools have to apply and resign accordingly. What if Anwar loses in the election, or if he cannot be prime minister due to health reasons.
"You cannot have a seat warmer for that post, it is the top position in the country," he told reporters, here, today.
Rafizi had claimed that Anwar could be released from prison within a month of Wan Azizah becoming interim prime minister, and that a by-election would be held to make him the premier.
Wan Azizah had also, in an interview with Al Jazeera earlier this month, said she did not mind holding the post temporarily until Anwar is released, citing the latter as a better leader.
"Wan Azizah herself claimed she was not capable enough for the post, then why nominate herself? PKR needs to move on, it really does," Wan Saiful said.
On former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's decision to not openly support Anwar as the opposition's pick for prime minister, Wan Saiful said: "I think he did the right thing."
"Pakatan Harapan's presidential council has not made a decision (on the post), that is only an agenda of PKR. So you cannot force other parties into supporting your agenda without discussing first," he added.