Interim Prime Minister of Malaysia Mahathir Mohamad (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – King of Malaysia Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah said onFebruary 28 that he will let leaders of political parties to nominate primeministerial candidates after no candidate could find majority support from thelower house to form a government.
The King also agreed withthe house speaker’s decision to not hold a vote on March 2 as requested byinterim Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.
Mahathir, 94, who isseeking to return as prime minister for a third time, also suffered anotherblow after his Bersatu party switched allegiance and said it has decided tonominate its president Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister.
The crisis was sparked on February 23 when some leaders of the PHgovernment tried to form anew alliance with opposition parties including Umno and PartiIslam SeMalaysia (PAS) to ensure Mahathir would stay in power for the full terminstead of handing the reins over to Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) presidentAnwar as previously agreed. PKR was the dominant party in the rulingcoalition.
But Mahathirrefused to bring the entire Umno party into his government, saying that it is acorrupt party, and resigned from the premiership on February 24.The King then appointed him interim leader while the search for a newprime minister goes on.
Afailed bid by Mahathir’s supporters to form a new government without hisdesignated successor, Anwar Ibrahim, and Mahathir’s subsequent shockresignation broke apart the ruling alliance less than two years after itdefeated a corruption-tainted coalition that had led the country for 61 years./.
