KUALA LUMPUR: Pakatan Harapan (PH) burned down its own house and later cried foul when it collapsed.

Datuk Seri Bung Moktar (BN-Kinabatangan) said the fall of the previous government was its own doing.

"Its ship sank and the captain (previous prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad) ran away, thus a new captain had to take over; it had to be a new ship.

"PH must understand this. Even the doors and pillars had collapsed and burned down," he said as he interjected Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan's (BN-Pontian) debate speech on the royal address.

Ahmad, in citing Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah's address in opening the 14th Parliament on May 18, said Dr Mahathir had sought an audience with the King on Feb 24 to express his intention to resign as the 7th prime minister of Malaysia.

"He (Mahathir) was adamant about his decision, despite being asked to remain as PM by the Agong. All MPs were then summoned to nominate their choice of PM, and Pagoh (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin) was then appointed.

"Each one of the 113 MPs (supporting Muhyiddin) have the people's mandate, and we fulfilled our duty to choose the new PM. Due process was taken before a new PM was appointed. If at all, this government is kerajaan pintu istana (a 'palace door' government)," said Ahmad.

Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim (BN-Arau) interjected, saying that Muhyiddin, who is Bersatu president, is not a traitor to PH, as he stepped in only after Dr Mahathir's resignation and he received majority support from MPs.

"Instead, Pagoh is a saviour after Langkawi resigned. Prior to that, we signed an SD (statutory declaration) to support Langkawi, but he later resigned, thus rendering the document null and void."

Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim (BN-Baling) said PH wouldn't have collapsed if Dr Mahathir had kept his word to hand the premiership to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim or another candidate.

"However, he resigned and was later appointed as the interim PM (before Muhyiddin was appointed). PH fell because of one person, and that is Langkawi (Dr Mahathir)," said Abdul Azeez.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/politics/2020/07/608470/bung-moktar-ph-burnt-down-its-own-house-and-then-cried-foul