Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail admitted that she was offered the prime minister’s post after Pakatan Harapan (PH) won

Wan Azizah: Agong offered me PM post after GE14

MUHD IZAWAN BAHARIN
New Straits Times9 October 2018



JAKARTA: Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail admitted that she was offered the prime minister’s post after Pakatan Harapan (PH) won the 14th general election on the night of May 9.

Speaking to around 200 Malaysians in Indonesia in conjunction with her first working visit to the republic, the deputy prime minister said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V made the offer as she was the PKR president, and that the party’s symbol was used by all its coalition parties during the election.

“However, I declined the offer as we held on to our promise that Tun Dr Mahathir (Mohamad) would become the prime minister and I would be his deputy,” she said during the event, held at the Malaysian Embassy here.

She said PH leaders were initially stunned at having won the election, and managed to topple an administration which had been in power since the nation’s independence.

“Alhamdulillah, the transition of power was carried out peacefully. We are asking for the people to be patient as there will be an even better transition in store; right now the country is facing debt issues,” she said.

Fielding a question from the audience on what action would be taken against ministers who fail to suitably perform, Dr Wan Azizah replied that in each Cabinet meeting, Dr Mahathir warns its members not to be involved in corruption.

“On the performance of the ministers, give us a bit more time as we are still learning. Nevertheless, I take in all the views put forward by the rakyat,” she said. © New Straits Times Press