PUTRAJAYA, June 15 — An estimated 80,000 people visited the government’s Hari Raya open house at Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s official Sri Perdana residence, which ended at 4.30pm today.

Dr Mahathir, who was accompanied by wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah and members of his Cabinet, shook hands with thousands of well-wishers during a meet-and-greet session that lasted over three hours. 

“I shook the hands of 55,000 people today; I was afraid my hand was going to get cramped,” joked Dr Mahathir.

He later thanked all who attended the open house, saying the event was also a celebration of victory for the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government. 

The PM also expressed joy in seeing the multicultural crowd who turned up at the first government open house organised by the new Pakatan Harapan administration.

“I would like to take this opportunity to wish all a happy Hari Raya Aidilfitri, to Muslims and the non-Muslims.

“At the same time, we celebrate today as a victory, a victory of the people,” he said.

Dr Mahathir said the victory was sweeter considering that PH was initially thought to have only a slim chance of winning the election.

He also credited the unlikely victory to the strength of public support for his coalition.

“That is why we want to say thank you for all that voted PH, and we hope to fulfil all our promises,” he said.

In the open house today, crowds lined up to enter the official residences from as early as 8.30am.

Among ministers present were Lim Guan Eng, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin,Gobind Singh Deo, Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad and Anthony Loke.

https://www.malaymail.com/s/1642377/dr-m-i-shook-55000-hands-today