DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng was elected Finance Minister during Pakatan Harapan (PH) ‘s rule because he managed the Penang government well, said former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
“The debt (Penang) is all erased. We chose him because he has the ability in the field even though the one who is interested in becoming the Finance Minister is Muhyiddin (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin) but I am for Guan Eng,” he said.
The seventh prime minister said Guan Eng’s election of the DAP party as Finance Minister at the time was also based on the seniority of the leader in the party.
In fact, he said, several other senior leaders from Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah), Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) were also selected to fill important positions in the Cabinet.
“Regarding Guan Eng. He is the leader from the DAP party. We give the senior post to the party leaders. Mohamad Sabu is the Minister of Defense. Muhyiddin (Bersatu) is the Minister of Home Affairs.
“Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR) became the Deputy Prime Minister. I will not want to give the Minister of Works to Guan Eng. I have to give him something senior,” he said.
Commenting on the appointment of Tan Sri Tommy Thomas as Attorney General, Dr Mahathir said he chose Tommy as an experiment after the post was often monopolized lawyers Malay.
“I want to see if non-Malays is what he can do. Just two years ago he stayed two years. So we’ll see what he’s doing.
“A lot of people say he did (things) wrong but I found him obeying the rules and laws,” he said.
