Dr Mahathir Says He Regrets Antagonising Anwar Claims Pm Now Seeking Revenge After Failed 2020 Power Transition

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Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (right) and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during a PKR Retreat program in Port Dickson in July 19, 2019. — Picture by Ahmad ZamzahuriKUALA LUMPUR, May 3 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad reportedly expressed his regrets over “antagonising” Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, which he has accused of “trying to seek revenge” now.
In an interview with TIME magazine, Dr Mahathir this may have been exacerbated by the fact that a power transfer in 2020 did not happen after the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government he led collapsed.
“Before he could take over from me, the government collapsed, so I lost my position ... I cannot give to him something that I myself no longer had,” he was quoted saying.
In February 2020, Dr Mahathir resigned as prime minister, after two days of intense speculation that he would lead Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia to exit the ruling coalition PH and form a new government with new coalition partners.
The move came after a PKR faction led by Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali planned to join forces with Bersatu, Umno and PAS to form a new coalition government. They would later form the Perikatan Nasional administration.
In the interview, Dr Mahathir also labelled Anwar as “cut from the same cloth” as Datuk Seri Najib Razak — which he lambasted for the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) corruption scandal.
This comes as the Malaysia’s Anti-Corruption Commission launched several investigations against Dr Mahathir’s sons Tan Sri Mirzan and Tan Sri Mokhzani, and late ally Tun Daim Zainuddin.
“Anwar is a smart operator,” Dr Mahathir said, as he accused those under Anwar’s administration of being corrupt.
TIME noted that Anwar has denied targeting Dr Mahathir and any graft allegations, saying his government is “doing everything we can to combat corruption, no apologies about that”.
The interview also suggested that Dr Mahathir “has spectacularly fallen out with every single one of his successors”, saying the fact begs “uncomfortable questions”.
Dr Mahathir and Anwar’s bad blood started during the former’s first stint as prime minister, when he sacked his then deputy in 1998.
Anwar later faced corruption and sodomy charges in 1998, which resulted in jail time until the convictions were eventually overturned. He would later face a second sodomy charge and convicted in 2015, before given a royal pardon in 2018. - malaymail

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