PETALING JAYA: The best way forward for Malaysia and Pakatan Harapan is for Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to firm up a date to pass the baton to PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (pix), political analysts said.
This would ensure a smooth transition in leadership, they said. Assoc Prof Dr Jeniri Amir of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak said Pakatan Harapan has to abide by the promise made before the last general election for Anwar to take over.
“This will create a certainty which is important not only for domestic politics but also investor confidence,” he told theSun yesterday in response to Anwar’s statement during an interview with Bloomberg that he expected to take over some time in May 2020.
Jeniri said the question whether PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali or his counterpart in Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir would become prime minister was irrelevant.
“Who is the president of PKR? It’s Anwar, so it’s a clear cut case. For anyone else to claim the position is nonsensical,” he said.
Prof Dr Sivamurugan Pandian of Universiti Sains Malaysia said while Anwar would like to take over in May 2020, both he and Mahathir would have to come to a final decision to ensure a smooth transition, like how Mahathir passed the baton to Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in 2003.
He said Azmin and Mukhriz’s names did not crop up during the 14th general election.
“Both names only came up when cracks began to appear in PKR. Mukhriz appeared as an alternative but Mahathir has always said it would be Anwar.”
