Azmin, who arrived in Penang today days after his party boss Anwar Ibrahim’s visit, said he never talked party politics in his meetings with the prime minister.

“I have no clue. I have regular meetings with the PM, mainly on economic and ministerial matters, also the Twelfth Malaysia Plan 2021-2025 (12MP).

“I am too occupied for political talk or meetings,” he said after chairing a meeting on the 12MP with state officials here.

Several opposition leaders had recently met Mahathir, where they called on him to serve the five-year mandate instead of transferring power to Anwar mid-term.

Azmin, who has a fallout with Anwar, had earlier backed the call, saying Mahathir’s presence would ensure stability.

But Azmin today said he has no problems with Anwar.

“Please do not make such an interpretation,” said the economic affairs minister, adding that he has met Anwar and is confident that PKR’s internal problems can be resolved through the “wisdom of the party leaders”.

Azmin also denied he had deliberately stayed away from two PKR leadership meetings recently.

He said his support for Mahathir to stay on is to ensure economic continuity and stability.

“Look at 80% of my statement, it is about stable investments and the creation of jobs. And the question of investment, I feel this is important for the PM to carry on with his leadership for the sake of consistency until we make a decision in the next election.”

Azmin said Malaysians have become weary of bickering over politics, and want elected representatives to focus on their jobs.

“One year on, we are still talking about politics, this is unhealthy.”

Earlier, Azmin met Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow together with representatives from the federal and state governments on the 12MP.

He refused to disclose the projects requested by Penang, but said top of the agenda was the urgent upgrades to the public hospitals in the state.

He also refused to say whether the RM8.5 billion Light Rail Transit project is one of them.

“Any efforts to reduce the use of private vehicles and efforts to increase public transport use, I will give my full support,” he added.

Asked if Penang was sidelined when his ministry approved RM5 billion to Kedah for infrastructure, Azmin said any project in Kedah will benefit the entire northern region.

“These projects would complement whatever we have in Penang, as we have planned it around Penang.

“We see Penang as a very important partner in economic growth in the country, with a high contribution to the gross domestic product at 6.7% last year.”