Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has brushed off calls for her to step down as deputy prime minister to make way for her husband Anwar Ibrahim.

"This matter does not arise. We pledged that Dr Mahathir Mohamad would be prime minister and I, the deputy," she told reporters in Kuala Lumpur today.

Previously, Bersatu Jeram assemblyperson Mohd Shaid Rosli said Anwar taking over as the deputy prime minister was a necessary step for him to succeed Mahathir as prime minister.

This followed calls by the pro-Anwar group Otai Reformis, which urged Mahathir to step down so that the PKR president can take the top job.