With the many complaints over his plan to hold two portfolios, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has decided not to take up the job of Education Minister.

The Education Minister-designate is now political newcomer Dr Maszlee Malik, who joined Pribumi on March 12.

He was an International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) lecturer and terrorism researcher before joining Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.

Dr Mahathir said he relinquished the portfolio as Education Minister because “it is the position of the Pakatan Harapan manifesto”.

Asked if there was any candidate for the ministry or if it would be passed to his deputy Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Dr Maha­thir said on Facebook: “I can’t pass to my deputy. The Deputy has already been given a ministry ... there is no restrictions on the deputy.

“Before this, the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister used to alternate between Defence and Home Affairs. If the PM takes Defence, the DPM takes Home Affairs.

“Sometimes we change, but now it’s different. Defence, as you know, goes to Mat Sabu and Home Affairs goes to Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. They are not the PM or DPM.

“I would like to (take up another portfolio). Otherwise, why should I choose that ministry (Education)?” said Dr Mahathir when asked if he wanted to take up another ministerial post.

On Thursday, Dr Mahathir announced that he would take on a second Cabinet portfolio as Education Minister and quipped that he did so because he thought many people were uneducated in the country.

That decision drew flak for not keeping to the Pakatan manifesto Promise 12 which stated that the Prime Minister will not simultaneously hold other ministerial posts, especially the post of Finance Minister.

The criticism even came from within Pakatan when Pahang PKR Youth chief Wong Chun Yuan said that this went against Pakatan’s reform agenda which seeks to prevent the over-centralisation of the Prime Minister’s powers and contradicts its own manifesto.

MCA publicity bureau chairman Datuk Chai Kim Sen said Dr Mahathir had betrayed the manifesto only a week after coming into power while Perak MCA chairman Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon questioned why Dr Wan Azizah was assigned to the Women and Family Development Ministry when it is a known fact that she is a highly qualified medical practitioner, best suited for the Health Ministry.

DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang defended Dr Mahathir, saying the latter did not violate the letter and the spirit of the Pakatan manifesto.

He said Promise 12 was not “very happily worded” and open to different constructions.