PM still in power after ally quits: Malaysia's top lawyer

Blurb: Nation was in political limbo after aide pulled support for Muhyiddin

Kuala Lumpur, July 8

Malaysia’s Attorney General Idrus Harun said on Thursday that Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin remained in power until it could be proven in Parliament that he had lost majority support.

The country was in political limbo after the United Malays National Organisation (UNMO), the largest party in the governing alliance, pulled its support for Muhyiddin.

UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi earlier on Thursday accused Muhyiddin’s government of failing to tackle the pandemic. He said its inconsistent policies and half-baked lockdown measures had deepened economic hardship, with deaths doubling to more than 5,700 since a large-scale lockdown began June 1.

He urged Muhyiddin to step aside for an interim leader to take over until a general election can be held safely during the pandemic.

But it is unclear if UMNO’s 38 lawmakers will toe the party line. Some have already protested Zahid’s announcement. Local media said Defense Minister Ismail Sabri, named by Muhyiddin as his deputy on Wednesday, led opposition to Zahid’s plan to exit the ruling alliance at the UMNO meeting.

Muhyiddin’s office also said Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein would take over Ismail’s post as one of four senior ministers. Both Ismail and Hishammuddin are to retain their security and diplomatic portfolios, respectively.

Harun said there is no clear evidence that Muhyiddin has lost majority support in Parliament. He said this can only be decided by lawmakers in the lower house, not based on the statement of a political party. “Therefore, legally, the prime minister and his Cabinet remain in power to exercise their federal executive power,” he said in a brief statement. AP