KUALA LUMPUR – Former Sabah chief minister Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak believes that Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s recent political manoeuvre, in accepting the role of adviser to Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) State Government 4 (SG4), is a strategic move aimed at destabilising the unity government.
Salleh asserts that Dr Mahathir’s appointment as adviser for SG4, effectively positioning himself as the de facto leader of PN, is merely the initial step in a series of planned moves.
“I believe that the recent move made by Tun Mahathir to be the advisor for SG4 which effectively made himself the de facto leader of Perikatan Nasional was merely the first move of many other bigger moves to come,” Salleh said on Facebook.
He said although the apparent effort to turn Dr Mahathir into the de facto leader was an “important move”, it would only be significant and meaningful if the former prime minister returned to Parliament.
“He would have correctly used the appointment as being the economic advisor to SG4 to convince all PAS members of his sincerity.
“Tun Mahathir is a very smart politician, he is smarter than most of us. He wants to have a more effective influence over the political domain so that he can undermine the Prime Minister’s control and influence. He is a master in this kind of game. I would salute him for that,” Salleh said.
Salleh also said that Dr Mahathir’s actions may eventually lead to a political crisis greater than the one faced by Datuk Seri Najib Razak in 2015.
“PAS will not back him up unless they truly believe in Tun Mahathir’s political abilities. PAS surely believed that Tun Mahathir could succeed where Tan Sri Muhyiddin (Yassin) had failed which is to return back to Putrajaya,” Salleh said.
“In politics age and ambition has no limit, and therefore do not underestimate the will of an old man. When dealing with an adversary, it is not only his actions but his intentions that have to be watched, since if one does not act first, one will suffer first. Tun Mahathir could again become the Prime Minister if all his enemies regard this as impossible and remain off-guard.”
Previously, Salleh had suggested that Dr Mahathir’s appointment as the adviser to SG4 was a calculated move to position him as PN’s de facto leader. Salleh also claimed that this was why PN chief Muhyiddin was not included in the meeting with PAS leaders that Dr Mahathir had attended earlier in the month.
Last week, Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar announced the establishment of a new group comprising all four PN-led states, referring to themselves as the “State Government Four,” or SG4.
Leaders from Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis had tentatively agreed to form this group, with Terengganu’s executive council tasked with initiating discussions with its counterparts in the other three states.
As advisor to SG4, Dr Mahathir will be focusing on promoting effective and efficient governance.
Additionally, his role will include facilitating connections between the four states and investors from countries such as Japan and South Korea, with whom he maintains strong ties. – September 18, 2023