Muhyiddin Yassin And Official Cabinet Resign, Raja Malaysia Appoints Interim Prime Minister

Prime Minister of Malaysia Muhyiddin Yassin. (Wikimedia Commons/TV PAS)

JAKARTA - Malaysia's King Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah accepted Muhyiddin Yassin's resignation as prime minister, but asked him to remain interim prime minister, the State Palace said Monday local time.

This marks the climax of the 17-month political spat by Muhyiddin Yassin's rule which has only a narrow majority, coupled with a wave of COVID-19 infections affecting Malaysia's economy.

The State Palace said the election was not the best option and King Al-Sultan Abdullah was pleased that Muhyiddin remained as caretaker.

"The king has received the resignation letter of Muhyiddin Yassin and the entire cabinet effective immediately," the State Palace said in a statement on Facebook, citing Reuters Monday, August 16.

"After the resignation, the king is pleased that Muhyiddin is filling the role of interim prime minister until a new prime minister is appointed," the statement continued.

Later, in a nationally televised address, Muhyiddin said he submitted his resignation to the king having lost the trust of a majority of lawmakers, hoping a new government would be formed as soon as possible.

The power struggle within the ruling coalition takes place at a time when Muhyiddin is seeking to restart the pandemic-hit economy while preventing the re-spread of COVID-19 cases. The ringgit earlier fell to a one-year low and Malaysian stock markets slipped.

Muhyiddin remained in his role, as there was no other clear candidate without a party with a clear majority in parliament. The king said it was inappropriate to hold elections during the pandemic, with Malaysia's infections and deaths per million ranking the highest in Southeast Asia.

The decision rests with the King of Malaysia, who can appoint a prime minister from among elected members of parliament, based on who he thinks is most likely to lead the majority.

Wracked by friction in a fragile coalition since taking office on March 20, 2020, Muhyiddin only has a narrow majority. Pressure on him has intensified after several lawmakers from the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) party, the largest bloc in the ruling alliance, withdrew support.

Previously, Muhyiddin said the political turmoil was triggered by certain parties whose demands he rejected, including the release of individuals facing corruption charges.

A number of UMNO politicians are known to face corruption charges, including former prime minister Najib Razak and party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. They have denied wrongdoing and were among those who withdrew support for Muhyiddin this month.