“No (it has nothing to do with that). There are many reasons, I am not saying he does everything wrong,” Dr Mahathir Mohamad told reporters after chairing a meeting of the special committee on anti-corruption here.

Mahathir said there were some things that Maszlee did which were right, but because of other reasons, he felt it was “necessary” for Maszlee to resign.

“And he agreed.”

Earlier today, FMT reported that an attempt to reopen the Saudi Arabian-backed “anti-terrorism” centre – which the Pakatan Harapan government had shut down – had been cited as the “tipping point” which led to Mahathir’s ultimatum to Maszlee to quit his Cabinet post.

Speaking to FMT on condition of anonymity, a source said Mahathir was infuriated when he heard Maszlee was behind the plan to restart the King Salman centre, on the back of a long list of complaints against the former education minister’s handling of his portfolio.

Maszlee has since denied that he was behind a plan to reopen the centre.

Meanwhile, when asked who will be acting education minister, Mahathir said: “This will be decided by me as it is my prerogative.”