Lajim not in favour of Dr M as interim PM
KOTA KINABALU: Having an interim prime minister prior to the installation of the real prime minister will only result in destabilising the country’s administration.
Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah president Datuk Lajim Haji Ukin cited the Sabah chief minister rotation system as an example, explaining that the policy had been very problematic for the state.
“And I see that there will be possibilities of instability if we keep changing our prime ministers within a short time ... there will be policy changes, and the approaches (of both men holding the post) would be different,” said Lajim who was commenting on Pakatan Harapan’s announcement to appoint Mahathir as the country’s interim prime minister until Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim could be installed as the eighth prime minister.
He was also worried about leadership crisis and reminded that once you’re on top, it will not be so easy to go down.
“He (Mahathir) may start giving conditions, and the person taking over will just nod at anything but later, will not fulfil what has been agreed upon,” Lajim said.
He added that such an administration crisis would cause huge problems for the citizens of the country as it could result in altered policies and approaches.
Lajim, who was commenting on Pakatan Harapan’s recent announcement, also said Mahathir’s appointment as an interim prime minister was something he could not accept.
“If he was (given the role as) an advisor or any other position, that can be accepted,” he said.
“But when he was nominated as the prime minister, and he has been a prime minister for 22 years and has left that post for more than 10 years, I feel that Pakatan Harapan’s action is due to desperation,” said Lajim.
He said this could be because they could not find any new leaders if PH was successful in winning Putrajaya.
He also felt that the party’s decision was probably also motivated by the belief that Mahathir still had the capacity to influence the Malays in West Malaysia.
Lajim said Mahathir’s appointment would probably last four to five months and then Anwar would be appointed as the prime minister.
“Nevertheless, the real decision is up to the people if they can accept Mahathir to be their prime minister again,” he said.
Kapayan assemblyman Dr Edwin Bosi of Parti Anak Negeri viewed it as a strategic political move by the opposition in Malaya to designate Mahathir as the prime minister in view of the current political situation there.
“We have no say on this move in KL. I just hope a new federal government will resolve the illegal problem viz-a-viz the RCI. I also hope Sabah will have a strong government, preferably a new one to deal with the federal government, one that will respect the state government irrespective of their political leaning,” he said.