Malaysia's Mahathir floats new party

Putrajaya (Malaysia), August 7

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Two-time former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad announced on Friday that he is forming a new ethnic Malay party more than two months after he was sacked from his previous party during a political struggle with his successor. Mahathir, 95, quit as the Prime Minister in protest in late February after fellow party member Muhyiddin Yassin withdrew their Bersatu party from the ruling coalition, triggering its collapse less than two years after a historic victory in 2018 national polls.

Muhyiddin was sworn in as new PM in March with a new government supported by ex-Prime Minister Najib Razak’s corruption-tainted party that was ousted in 2018.

Mahathir, who was sacked from Bersatu along with his son and three other senior members, said Muhyiddin had hijacked the party and helped revive what he called a kleptocratic government. He accused Muhyiddin of using money to buy support in Bersatu, causing it to stray from its goal of fighting graft. Mahathir said he believes many grassroots members are unhappy and still support him.AP