Malaysia elections: Pakatan Harapan entitled to form government, says Mahathir

[KUALA LUMPUR] Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad says Pakatan Harapan had won a clear majority and is entitled to form the government.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday (May 10), he said the rule of law must apply and "we hope by 5pm today we'll have a government".

Four parties contested under Pakatan Harapan "but we contested under the name of one party", he pointed out.

"We want to emphasise that Pakatan has won a clear majority, therefore we are entitled to form the government," he said.

He noted that the Constitution says the PM needs the support of the majority of Members of Parliament.

"As long as he has majority of support he can be PM, and he can appoint a deputy," said Dr Mahathir, who was flanked by Parti Keadlian Rakyat (PKR) president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail on one side. PKR is part of Pakatan Harapan.

The former PM also said there has been a delay due to lack of understanding of Constitution.

"There's an urgency here. We need to form a government now," he said, adding there was currently no government in Malaysia.

He said the PH coalition has written to the King asking for a ceremony to swear in the PM "to take place now".

"All the parties have signed," he said.

He said that PH itself won 121 seats. With 14 seats from Warisan and a few seats of smaller parties in Sabah, "we have well over 135 Members of Parliament. There can be no doubt who gets majority support in new Malaysian parliament".

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