Tun Mahathir to review decision on Education portfolio

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad will review his decision to take on the Education portfolio, following feedback that it contravenes one of Pakatan Harapan's (PH) election pledges.
"I failed to realise that the prime minister cannot hold any other portfolios. I thought that the restriction only applied to the prime minister holding the finance portfolio," he told the PPBM media unit in a recorded interview uploaded on Facebook at Yayasan Al-Bukhary, here today.
Stating that the matter will be renegotiated, Mahathir claimed that he was informed of the matter only after making the announcement.
"The deputy prime minister is allowed to (take on another portfolio). There is no restriction for the deputy," he said in reference to Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who will be in charge of the Women's Affairs and Welfare portfolio.
Mahathir also stressed that he will not assume the Education portfolio unless there is a demand for him to do so.
"I would like to (take up the portfolio) otherwise why would I choose that ministry?" he said, adding that the final decision on the education portfolio will be taken during the next PH presidential council meeting.
Mahathir had yesterday announced that he along with Deputy Prime Minister designate Wan Azizah would helm the Education and Women's Affairs and Welfare ministries, respectively.
However, the announcement was not well received by several sections of the public, opposition parties and civil societies as it goes against the pledges stated in the manifesto.