Malaysia's Prime Minister Muhyiddin to resign on Monday

Reuters

Kuala Lumpur - Muhyiddin’s grip on power has been precarious since he came to power in March 2020 with a slim majority.

By Reuters

Published: Sun 15 Aug 2021, 9:57 AM

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin will resign on Monday, news portal MalaysiaKini reported, citing a cabinet minister.

Muhyiddin will submit his resignation to King Al Sultan Abdullah on Monday, according to Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof, a minister in the prime minister’s department, MalaysiaKini reported on Sunday.

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Reuters could not immediately reach Mohd Redzuan. The prime minister’s office did not immediately respond.

Mohd Redzuan said Muhyiddin informed party members of his decision to resign as he had exhausted all other options to sustain the government.

“Tomorrow, there will be a special cabinet meeting. After that, he will head to (the palace) to submit his resignation,” Mohd Redzuan told Malaysiakini.

Muhyiddin’s grip on power has been precarious since he came to power in March 2020 with a slim majority. Pressure on him mounted recently after some lawmakers from the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) party - the largest bloc in the ruling alliance - withdrew support.

The premier had for weeks defied calls to quit and said he would prove his majority in parliament through a confidence vote in September.

But on Friday, Muhyiddin admitted for the first time he did not have a majority and made a last-ditch effort to woo the opposition by promising political and electoral reforms in exchange for support on the confidence vote. The offer was unanimously rejected.