PETALING JAYA: A leadership meeting of PPBM to be held tomorrow was postponed this evening, averting what might have been a possible showdown between two factions within the party.
The postponement was announced by PPBM executive secretary Muhammad Suhaimi Yahya in a circular sent by chat message. A new date would be announced, he said, apologising for the postponement.
The PPBM supreme council was to have met on Monday, a week before a Dewan Rakyat meeting at which a no confidence motion might be brought against Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who is party president.
PPBM supreme council member Tariq Ismail confirmed with FMT that tomorrow’s meeting was postponed, with no reasons being given. “Yes, I was informed that the meeting has been postponed,” he said. Selangor PPBM information chief Salehudin Amiruddin said he was also informed by a supreme council member about the postponement.
News of the postponement came after speculation earlier today about whether party founder Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his son Mukhriz, who is deputy president, would attend the meeting.
Mahathir had resigned as prime minister and party chairman in February, after a disagreement about an alliance with Umno. PPBM leaders and a breakaway PKR faction went on to form a new government with support from Umno-BN and PAS.
PPBM remains split between those aligned to party president Muhyiddin and a faction supporting Mahathir. The split has left Mahathir’s position in dispute, with the party maintaining that Muhyiddin had taken over as acting chairman while Mahathir’s supporters say he remains chairman after the party had rejected his resignation.
Mahathir’s proposed motion of no confidence in Muhyiddin as prime minister has been accepted by the Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat. However, as the Dewan Rakyat would meet only for a day, on May 18, the motion would unlikely be debated or put to the vote, for lack of time.
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