Ex-minister sees Dr Mahathir becoming de facto PN leader after named unofficial SG4 adviser

Dr Mahathir speaks during the PN Grand Finale ceramah at Dataran Kempas in Johor Bahru on Sept 8, 2023. — Malay Mail photo

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 16): Perikatan Nasional (PN) is working to turn Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad its de facto leader after naming the former prime minister as the unofficial adviser to the four states under its control, according to Umno politician Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak.

Salleh, who is also a former federal minister and a past Sabah chief minister, cited the absence of PN chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin during a recent meeting between PAS leaders and Dr Mahathir.

I see the recent move on the appointment of Tun Mahathir as the advisor of State Government 4 is actually a move to make Tun Mahathir as the de facto leader of Perikatan Nasional.

Obviously the four states namely Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu are all PAS controlled states. This explains why Tan Sri Muhyiddin was not invited when PAS leaders met Tun Mahathir earlier this month, Salleh wrote on Facebook late last night.

I must say that its a brilliant move by Tun Mahathir if his real intention is to be in the political forefront again despite the setback in Langkawi during PRU 15. I believe Tan Sri Muhyiddin has limited options but to play along with whatever decision made by the PAS-led Perikatan Nasional on the appointment of Tun Mahathir, he added.

Salleh was referring to the 15th general election last November when Dr Mahathir lost his deposit while defending the Langkawi parliamentary seat in Kedah under his then-party Parti Pejuang Tanah Air.

On September 14, news portalFree Malaysia Todayreported Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar as saying that Dr Mahathir would be theunofficial adviserfor the four PAS-controlled states of Terengganu, Kelantan, Kedah and Perlis, dubbed SG4.

The four menteri besar from these four states had reportedly on September 2 held a meeting with Dr Mahathir at his residence, with PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang and PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan also in attendance.

Dr Mahathir, who had led the Pakatan Harapan government that was elected in 2018 only to be forced into resignation in February 2020, had supported PN in the recent six state elections on August 12. — Malay Mail