PETALING JAYA: At a closed-door meeting on Monday (Aug 13) night, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said that Pakatan Harapan had made too many election promises because it didn’t expect to win in the 14th general election, news portal Malaysiakini reports.

The Pakatan chairman told a gathering of Pakatan and Parti Warisan Sabah MPs that this was why the new administration was facing a tough time meeting its manifesto pledges.

He also said that there was a possibility of a backlash, Malaysiakini reported, quoting “several sources” present at the dinner function on Monday.

“Actually we did not expect to win, we made a thick manifesto with all kinds of promises...

“We need to make sacrifices to fulfil our promises. If we can't fulfil them, we will need a good reason that is acceptable to the people.

“If we fail to deliver on our promises, the Opposition will use it against us and we may be defeated” in the next general election, the news portal reported Dr Mahathir as saying, according to its sources.