Azmin said he has consistently called for Dr Mahathir to be given all five years of his mandate to rebuild Malaysia. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon

KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 — Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali joined today Opposition parties PAS and Umno in calling for Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to serve out his full term as the prime minister.

Lauding PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s endorsement on behalf of the Islamist party and Umno, Azmin said he has consistently called for Dr Mahathir to be given all five years of his mandate to rebuild Malaysia.

He also added that the two Opposition parties’ endorsement of Dr Mahathir did not mean an end to their political differences with the ruling Pakatan Harapan, saying that this could continue without harming the larger population.

“The leadership of Tun Dr Mahathir is required to ensure the stability, continuity and consistency of government policies to drive investment as well as create jobs and prosperity for all.

“I believe that political stability will build up the country's fundamentals and integrity including the concept of 'shared prosperity' that will bring Malaysia back to being an Asian Tiger,” he said in a statement today.

He said Malaysians voted in the previous general election for institutional reforms that would only be possible if there was stability in the government.

Azmin also expressed his belief that PAS and Umno’s professed support for the leadership of Dr Mahathir would usher in a new era of bipartisanship and build on the collaboration that allowed Malaysia to lower the voting age from 21 to 18.

On Saturday, Hadi said the PAS-Umno alliance was in favour of Dr Mahathir completing his full term as prime minister.

PH has presented a succession plan that would see PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim taking over from Dr Mahathir as prime minister but the timeline for this remains unclear.

It had been initially presented as happening within two years of the general election but it was later revealed that there is no formal agreement on when it must happen.