Tun M a man of his word – Raja Perlis

Raja Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail on Tuesday praised Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad saying that he is a leader who kept his promises.

Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin said he got to know Dr Mahathir closely when he was Yang diPertuan Agong from 2001 to 2006.

Dr Mahathir was Malaysia's fourth prime minister then (when he was with Barisan Nasional). He stepped down as prime minister in 2003.

“In my opinion, the Prime Minister (Dr Mahathir) will do what he says he is going to do...(for example) he said that he would step down as prime minister in 2003 and kept his word,” he said in his speech at a state banquet in conjunction with his 75th birthday celebration at Istana Arau on Tuesday.

The banquet was also graced by Raja Perempuan Perlis Tuanku Tengku Fauziah Tengku Abdul Rashid, Raja Muda Perlis Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail and Raja Puan Muda Perlis Tuanku Hajah Lailatul Shahreen Akashah Khalil.

Dr Mahathir and wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali also attended the banquet.

Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin said that he also respected Dr Mahathir's decision to offer himself to once again lead the nation to rectify the situation the country was in towards a better future.

“I hail Tun for volunteering to put right things that he thinks are wrong. Thank you Tun for leading the country again,” he said.

Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin also took the opportunity to wish happy birthday to Dr Mahathir and Dr Siti Hasmah who celebrated their birthdays on July 10 and July 12 respectively.

Dr Mahathir led the opposition Pakatan Harapan coalition to victory in the 14th general election on May 9, thus ending six decades of Barisan Nasional rule of the country.

Dr Mahathir was sworn in as Malaysia's seventh prime minister the next day. Bernama