Muhyiddin edges closer to be eighth PM with expected Warisan backing

KUALA LUMPUR — Sabah’s ruling bloc is expected to back the nomination of Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin to be Malaysia’s next prime minister.

Sources told Malay Mail that Parti Warisan Sabah is expected to add its nine MPs to the mix, although their ally, Upko, with one MP, is expected to abstain.

However, one source close to the Sabah bloc stressed that the numbers are “not confirmed until it comes from CM”, referring to Mr Shafie Apdal.

Mr Shafie was believed to have met Mr Muhyiddin earlier on Friday (Feb 28).

Should Warisan confirm its support, Mr Muhyiddin would have 105 MPs out of 222 behind him.

This includes Bersatu’s 36, Barisan Nasional’s 42 and PAS’s 18.

Sarawak’s ruling pact, GPS, has said it will announce its decision on Sunday. Whoever gains GPS’s support will have the majority support of the lower house and can form the government.

However, Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president James Masing had said that the party is not willing to work with “arrogant” DAP, and would rather deal with Islamist Party PAS’s religious leanings.

He said that the party would announce its pick for the Prime Minister’s post on March 1.

Interim Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is also Bersatu advisor, had said on Thursday that in default of his vision of a non-partisan government, he was prepared to support Muhyiddin for the Prime Minister post if the majority voted him in.

The scenario is looking likely with Pakatan Harapan holding only about 93 votes from MPs in support of PKR president Anwar Ibrahim.

GPS, Warisan, Upko and several other individual MPs are the only ones yet to publicly announce their choice for the PM post. MALAY MAIL