Mahathir hints he could stay as PM longer than 2 years

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad of Malaysia said Saturday that he could stay in power longer than two years — the time frame he had earlier suggested, according to The Star newspaper.

The paper quoted Mahathir as acknowledging that two years was the initial decision, but this was not set in stone.

“It (the two years) is a suggestion, but we are not fixed on this. It could be earlier, or even later.

“The priority is to return the nation’s wealth and build our economy to become more sustainable.

However, he was quick to reiterate that Anwar Ibrahim would be his successor.

Anwar, who was Pakatan Harapan’s choice for prime minister even before the general election, received a full pardon on May 16.

The Star reported that contentious past between the duo has caused doubt if Dr Mahathir would make way for Anwar, despite assurances by both that it would happen.

Anwar was once Dr Mahathir’s protégé and deputy prime minister, but was unceremoniously sacked in 1998 and convicted for sodomy and corruption.

In the interview, Dr Mahathir also denied any involvement in Anwar’s incarceration, saying it was the police who had enforced the rule of law.

“Anwar’s case was not my doing. The police said ‘oh, a deputy prime minister cannot be like that, for us to ignore whatever he does’

“If we want to go follow the rule of law, we must let the law take its course even if our friend is implicated,” he said.