IPOH: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad should give serious thought to widespread calls for the sacking of Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department P. Waytha Moorthy, says Perak DAP vice-chairman Dr Abdul Aziz Bari.
However, he noted that the power to appoint or sack a minister is the prerogative of the prime minister.
Aziz, who is Perak Education, Technology, Science and Environment committee chairman, said Dr Mahathir would surely weigh all options before making any decision on the matter.
“The power to appoint or to sack a minister is the prime minister’s prerogative. It is only that the political reality and demands (of the people) should be considered.
“The messages (demands) have been made. On whether he (Waytha Moorthy) should remain or go, that is the prime minister’s right. We are confident that he will take into accounts all factors pertaining to this issue.
“I believe the people are still dissatisfied with Pakatan Harapan’s promises or level of delivery.
“I feel it is wise if we avoid making any statements related to this issue, ” he told a press conference on the Mega Santai Anak Perak Carnival at Casuarina@Meru Hotel here on Monday.
The four-day carnival, which begins December 28, will see more than 50 small and medium enterprise (SMEs) players in the state converge at Bulatan Sultan Azlan Shah to promote their products.
Meanwhile, when asked on Youth and Sports Minister, Syed Saadiq Syed Abdul Rahman’s call for Waytha Moorthy to resign, Aziz said the move was unwarranted.
“Ministers are all subject to a collective responsibility. That means a minister should be speaking beyond the confines of the Cabinet in asking for his friend to be axed.
“However, this kind of problem is common in a coalition government because we are not a single party and that there are bound to be differences in opinion.
“It complicates matters somewhat, but what is more important is for us to learn from this episode and ensure there are no repeats,” he said.
Aziz said it would also be wise to heed the advice of leaders such as Lim Kit Siang and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who have called for cooler heads to prevail.