SERDANG: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today dismissed a Johor Umno suggestion that Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin be appointed as the new Johor menteri besar, saying the Home Minister has something else to do.
Dr Mahathir, who is also chairman of Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Bersatu, said the government would put up a candidate for the post.
“It is the winning party (PH) which names the menteri besar, not the losers. The losers keep quiet,” he said when asked if he would consider the Johor Umno suggestion that Muhyiddin, who has experience as a Johor menteri besar and deputy prime minister, lead the state government.
Asked about the statement yesterday by the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, calling on certain quarters to stop meddling in matters concerning the state, Dr Mahathir said Johor is a part of Malaysia.
“Unless, of course, it’s a foreign country. I don’t interfere in the internal affairs of foreign countries,” he told reporters after launching the Malaysia Autoshow 2019 at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS) here.
On Tuesday, Dr Mahathir announced the resignation of Datuk Osman Sapian as the Johor menteri besar effective April 8.
Osman, 67, was the 16th menteri besar of Johor and is believed to be Johor’s shortest-serving menteri besar, of less than 11 months, after taking his oath of office on May 12 last year following the PH victory in the 14th General Election.
Meanwhile, on the retirement of Chief Justice Tan Sri Richard Malanjum tomorrow, Dr Mahathir said the government already had a candidate for the post.
“Yes, we have. We’ll tell later,” he said.
Malanjum, appointed as the top judicial officer in the country on July 11 last year, has reached the mandatory retirement age of 66 years, plus an extension of six months. – Bernama
