Mahathir Says Opposition Supports Shafie as PM Candidate

(Bloomberg) -- Some of Malaysia’s opposition parties will back Shafie Apdal as the candidate to become the nation’s next prime minister, former premier Mahathir Mohamad said.

The opposition parties are Warisan, DAP and Amanah, Mahathir said in a statement on Saturday. Shafie was picked as he was among political leaders who opposed wrongdoings perpetrated by the Barisan Nasional government that was in place before the 14th general election, he said.

The parties also agreed to name Anwar Ibrahim as the first deputy prime minister and Mukhriz Mahathir as the second deputy prime minister, he said. There will be a tabling of a no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin soon in parliament, Mahathir said.

Malaysia’s Opposition Alliance Split Over Choice of PM Candidate

The Pakatan Harapan government imploded in February, less than halfway through its term, after a power struggle boiled over and Mahathir stepped down as prime minister. In the end, Muhyiddin, who was in Mahathir’s camp, became a contender when parties from the previous government agreed to back him.

The suggestion to name Shafie as candidate for prime minister represents one new option, Amanah President Mohamad Sabu and DAP Secretary General Lim Guan Eng said in a joint statement after Mahathir’s comments. But, the proposal should first be discussed at Amanah and DAP’s central levels and then be decided collectively by the Pakatan Harapan presidential council, they said.

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