“The recent release of a list of people supposedly involved in the formation of the new party is a fake and a lie. I have never been involved and never will be involved in politics. I am, and will always be, a professional,” he told Bernama.
The purported list of the new political party leadership has former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin as president and former Umno vice-president Mohd Shafie Apdal as his deputy. The vice-presidents are supposed to be former cabinet minister Zaid Ibrahim; former PAS vice-president Husam Musa and Dr Mahathir’s son Mukhriz, the former Kedah Menteri Besar, former Wanita Umno leader Rafidah Aziz as treasurer and former Batu Kawan Umno division vice-chief Khairuddin Abu Hassan listed as secretary-general.
Gani Patail was listed as a member of the supreme council, together with recently-retired cabinet minister Abdul Wahid Omar, former Wanita
Umno vice chief Kamilia Ibrahim; former Malacca Chief Minister Abdul Rahim Thamby Chik and Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali.
Abdul Wahid, Ibrahim, Rafidah and Khairuddin are reported to have also denied their involvement and described listing their names as being ridiculous, false and might have been done by certain quarters imprudently and with an evil heart.
On Thursday Dr Mahathir announced an opposition pact, involving a new party, PKR, DAP and Parti Amanah Negara, would be formed to challenge the Barisan Nasional in the coming 14th general election.