KUALA LUMPUR: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today reiterated that he would never form a cooperation with Pekan member of Parliament Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
The statement from the Langkawi MP came on the heels of rumours claiming that Najib, together with Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, had pledged their support for PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the next prime minister.
"I will never form cooperation with Datuk Seri Najib.
"I am sorry. I was invited to become the prime minister (during the previous Pakatan Harapan administration) before (Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president Tan Sri) Muhyiddin Yassin became the prime minister (when the Perikatan Nasional political bloc came into power).
"I said a government that relies on the support of Datuk Seri Najib is a government I can never accept.
"However, Muhyiddin said that he could accept (Najib and form the government)," the former prime minister said during a joint press conference with Umno advisory board chairman Tengku Razaleigh Tengku Mohd Hamzah here today.
Asked if he would accept the support from Najib and Zahid if the 2021 Budget was not be passed in Dewan Rakyat, subsequently leading to the collapse of the Perikatan Nasional government, Dr Mahathir replied in the affirmative but stressed that both leaders would not be in his administration.
"They can support, but they will not be members of the government if I do get to (form the next) government," he said.