KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad offered to step aside on Tuesday (Jan 14) for his named successor Anwar Ibrahim if that is what the Pakatan Harapan (PH) parties wish for.

He was responding to news reports on Monday citing several PH lawmakers pushing for a solid date for the leadership transfer at a public forum in Bangsar titled “Should Malaysia wait until November for transition?”

“I think this will be decided when all the four parties are together whether they want me to go or not. And as far as I’m concerned, if they want me to go now, I will go now,” he told reporters after attending Bank Rakyat’s Inaugural Integrity Forum on Tuesday.

Dr Mahathir said the decision can always be raised at the monthly PH presidential council, of which he is a member.

Several lawmakers from PKR, namely Subang MP Wong Chen; Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad; Tanjung Malim MP, Chang Lih Kang; and Selayang MP, William Leong, reportedly said Mr Anwar should be given power before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit scheduled to take place in Malaysia this November.

The power transition from Dr Mahathir to Mr Anwar was said to be one of the agreements made among the PH parties before the coalition’s shock victory over Barisan Nasional in the May 2018 general election.

Dr Mahathir has repeatedly said he will relinquish the reins to Mr Anwar, who currently holds no government post.

However, Dr Mahathir has since taken on the education portfolio following the sudden resignation of Dr Maszlee Malik on Jan 2.

Dr Mahathir — whose appointment as interim education minister was effective Jan 3 — said on Tuesday he has not decided who the permanent minister should be.

He added that making new appointments or reshuffling his Cabinet is not an easy task as he has to ensure the candidate is acceptable to all four parties in the ruling coalition. MALAY MAIL