Malaysia's Muhyiddin to remain as caretaker PM after king accepts his resignation

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia’s king has accepted Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's resignation along with his cabinet on Monday (Aug 16).

In a statement posted on the Istana Negara Facebook page, Comptroller of the Royal Household Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin said the king has consented to Mr Muhyiddin taking over the role of caretaker prime minister until his successor is appointed.

The king also said that the execution of the 15th General Election (GE15) is not the best option (to appoint a new government) after taking into consideration the safety and wellbeing of the people during the current Covid-19 pandemic.

"This is in accordance with Article 40(2)(a) and 43(2)(a) of the Federal Constitution which states that His Majesty must appoint a member of the Dewan Rakyat who in his opinion commands the confidence of the majority of Dewan Rakyat members as the new Prime Minister to chair the cabinet.

“His Majesty also expressed his appreciation to Muhyiddin and the cabinet members for their services to the country and the administration under Perikatan Nasional (PN) since March 1, 2020, especially in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

"As the Head of State, His Majesty understands and respects the country's legal system and processes and also respects any decision made by Muhyiddin in accordance with the Federal Constitution and the rule of law," the statement said.

Earlier at 12.30pm, Mr Muhyiddin had an audience with the king for 30 minutes, right after he chaired his last cabinet meeting that morning.

On the next General Election, the king said that a nationwide poll was not a viable option given the severity of the current pandemic.

During an audience on Aug 10, the Election Commission chairman Abdul Ghani Salleh, according to the statement by the palace, had told the king that 79 per cent of state constituencies are currently under Covid-19 red zones.

"Therefore, His Majesty opined that the execution of GE15 is not the best option for the welfare and safety of the people.

"His Majesty conveyed his hope that the ongoing and endless political crisis that has disrupted the governance of the country will end for the sake of the people and the country's economy which are being threatened by the Covid-19 pandemic," the statement said.

Mr Muhyiddin's hand had been weakened by months of infighting in his coalition and it is unclear if the developments will ease Malaysia's political crisis after a tumultuous 17 months in office for the prime minister.

Later in a nationally televised speech on Monday, Mr Muhyiddin said he submitted his resignation to the king because he had lost the confidence of a majority of lawmakers, adding that he hoped a new government would be formed as soon as possible.

The power struggle in the ruling coalition unfolded at a time when Mr Muhyiddin has sought to reboot a pandemic-stricken economy and curb a resurgence in Covid-19 cases.

The ringgit had earlier fallen to a one-year low and the stock market slipped.

Mr Muhyiddin stays on in a role, for which there was no other clear candidate in the absence of any party with a clear majority in parliament.

The decision was thrust into the hands of the king, who can appoint a prime minister from among elected lawmakers on the basis of who he thinks is most likely to command a majority.

Mr Muhyiddin's grip on power has been precarious since he took office in March 2020 with a slim majority.

Pressure on him mounted recently after some lawmakers of the United Malays National Organisation (Umno) party, the largest bloc in the ruling alliance, withdrew support.

Mr Muhyiddin had said the recent crisis was brought on by his refusal of demands such as dropping graft charges against some individuals.

Umno politicians faced with corruption charges include former premier Najib Razak and party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. They have denied wrongdoing and were among those who withdrew support for Mr Muhyiddin this month. AGENCIES