TOKYO: Newly elected Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Tuesday he may remain premier for up to two years and will play a role in the background even after he steps down. “(In) an initial stage, maybe lasting one or two years, I will be the prime minister,” Mahathir told a Wall Street Journal conference in Tokyo via a video link from Malaysia. There will be no special powers given except as are given to ministers or deputy ministers or deputy prime ministers,” he said. Mahathir sacked Anwar as his deputy prime minister in 1998. Mahathir was once Najib’s mentor but he the former ruling party over the 1MDB affair and joined the opposition.

Source: New Strait Times May 15, 2018 06:11 UTC