PKR's Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Karim expressed disappointed that the Pakatan Harapan presidential council meeting did not come up with a date for the prime ministerial transition plan. 

However, he said, he was happy that at least a consensus was made to prevent Umno and PAS from taking advantage of the situation.

"Personally, as a PKR MP who is loyal to his president, I am disappointed with the decision. I have no problem with Dr Mahathir Mohamad resigning as prime minister after the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Summit, But in my heart, I had hoped for a fixed date.

"When is after Apec? What is the date? What is the month? These questions were not answered and the vagueness persists," Hassan (photo) said in a statement today.

The Harapan presidential council meeting yesterday resolved to allow Mahathir to decide after the Apec Summit when exactly he intends to hand over power to PKR president Anwar Ibrahim.

Despite the absence of a date, Hassan said the decision, which was endorsed by Anwar, helps put to rest Umno and PAS' efforts to create discord within Harapan.

"PAS and Umno have been taking advantage of the situation with the idea of a backdoor government dubbed 'Pakatan Nasional'.

"This daydream by PAS and Umno is not happening and they are now left disappointed.

"The confidence or no-confidence vote that PAS supposedly want to move in the Parliament session next month, and supported by Umno, is no longer relevant," he said.

Hassan praised Anwar for exercising patience and not pressuring Mahathir, stating that a hardline position could have seen Harapan's demise in the meeting last night.

He noted that "after Apec" could even mean the year 2023 but believes Mahathir will appreciate the compromise by Harapan leaders and will likely leave before the end of this year.

Hassan said he was among the MPs who had signed a statutory declaration to support Mahathir as prime minister on the night Harapan took over the government on May 9, 2018, in line with Harapan's promise to make Mahathir prime minister if it won.

"As a Harapan and PKR MP who had fulfilled my and my party's promise, I believe I have a right to ask that Mahathir also fulfils his promise to pass the position to Anwar after the Apec Summit and before the end of this year."