JAKARTA - The opposition camp denied the statement by Prime Minister (PM) Malaysia Muhyiddin Yassin, who said he still had majority support, while predicting Muhyiddin could lose his vote of confidence next month.
On Wednesday, Muhyiddin said he maintained majority support among lawmakers and would prove it through a vote of no confidence when Malaysia's parliament regroups next month. His comments followed the withdrawal of support from some members of his coalition.
In office since March 2020, Muhyiddin has an unstable coalition and a slim majority of the opposition. Conditions made worse by the wave of COVID-19 infections and the economic slowdown due to the lockdown.
Muhyiddin's claim that he still has majority support was refuted by the main options group, Pakatan Harapan, which denied claims of support and called for a vote in the near future.
"After Pakatan Harapan leaders made careful calculations with friends from the opposition party and all those who did not support Muhyiddin, it became clear that he was not telling the truth," the bloc said in a statement on Thursday 5 August.
The situation has further cornered Muhyiddin, after the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), the largest group in the coalition supporting Muhyiddin, also challenged the prime minister.
In a statement on Wednesday, UMNO President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said more than eight lawmakers from his party had withdrawn support.
UMNO itself has continued to challenge Muhyiddin, despite agreeing to form a government with him last year. However, the party was split because of a stronghold supporting Muhyiddin, a factor that kept him in power despite threats from UMNO to step down.
Deputy Prime Minister and UMNO politician Ismail Sabri Yaakob also stood beside Muhyiddin and appeared with him in a televised address on Wednesday.
Yesterday, Muhyiddin said the political turmoil was triggered by certain parties whose demands he rejected, including the release of individuals facing corruption charges.
Several UMNO lawmakers have faced corruption charges since the party's defeat in the 2018 election, including former prime minister Najib Razak and party president Hamidi. They both denied wrongdoing.
For information, in a televised speech yesterday, PM Muhyiddin said, Malaysia's King Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah agreed to remain in power, pending a vote of no confidence even though several members of his coalition had withdrawn support.
Accompanied by nine members of Malaysia's Parliament, including Deputy Prime Minister and UMNO politician Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Muhyiddin said there were no questions about his resignation.
"I have informed the king that I have received a number of statements from members of parliament, which assure me that I still have the confidence of the majority of the current parliamentarians," said Muhyiddin Yassin.
"However, I am aware that my position as Prime Minister continues to be questioned. Therefore, I have informed the King, I will determine my legitimacy as Prime Minister in Parliament," he concluded.
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