The cold war between former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and the administration of his successor Najib Razak took a sharp turn today, as the Cabinet unanimously voted in favour of terminating Dr M’s appointment as the adviser of national oil and gas giant Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas).
In a statement quoted by Bernama, the Prime Minister’s Office explained the move to fire Dr M by saying that since the nation’s longest-serving PM no longer supported the current government, he should not be holding any position associated with the government.
“The Cabinet today discussed the actions of former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, particularly in launching the “Citizens’ Declaration” jointly with opposition party leaders last week.
“The declaration aims to topple the government through an act contrary to the law and the Federal Constitution,” it said in the statement.
Petronas is Malaysia’s most venerated government-linked corporation (GLC), and is the country’ single biggest source of tax revenue.
Dr Mahathir has been Petronas adviser ever since he retired from the prime ministership in 2003.
Despite the the Cabinet’s view that Mahathir not hold any positions linking him to the government, he still holds the position of chairperson of another major GLC, national carmaker Proton Holdings Berhad, a post he was appointed to in 2014.
