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Mahathir, set a retirement date or we’ll do it for you: Anwar ally Rafizi on Malaysia’s power transition
- Smooth transition of power is needed if Pakatan Harapan is to stay in office, says Rafizi Ramli, who drafted succession pact between the former rivals
- Voters are tired of the politicking and unhappy about the economy, he says
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A retirement date is likely to be imposed on Malaysia’s Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad if he does not commit to a timeline on handing power to Anwar Ibrahim by early next year, one of the drafters of the succession pact between the two former rivals has said.
Rafizi Ramli, widely viewed as a key confidante of Anwar, told a conference in Singapore on Thursday that the ruling coalition’s top leaders would be forced to take such action as the Malaysian public would by then have lost patience with the relentless focus on the succession issue.
“If [Mahathir] relinquishes willingly, the transition will be very smooth,” Rafizi said, adding that an uneventful change of guard was necessary for the Pakatan Harapan to retain power in the next general election.
The current state of politicking and discontent about the economy meant there was a groundswell against the ruling bloc that could see it lose power if a snap poll were held today, he said.
Rafizi said the succession issue would ultimately be settled by the Pakatan Harapan Presidential Council, a top body in the bloc comprising the four constituent parties’ leaders.
Both Anwar and Mahathir sit on the council.
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