Malaysian PM Mahathir resigns: Sources

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad sent his resignation letter to the King at 1pm Monday (Feb 24), his office said in a brief statement, reports The Straits Times. 

But sources said the shock move is likely to be followed by declarations of support for him to continue in power until the end of the current parliamentary term.

Tun Dr Mahathir’s Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) announced today it has left the ruling Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition. Meanwhile 11 MPs from Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) have also quit the party to form an independent bloc.

The exit of these lawmakers has left PH short of simple majority in Parliament, meaning the current government has effectively fallen.

The resignation move is likely to have been tactical, with a view to undoing the PH transition agreement under which Mr Anwar was supposed to replace the 94-year-old Dr Mahathir before the next election due in 2023.

"Nope, the Agong will reject the resignation saying Mahathir has the support from the majority of Parliament," a source said, referring to Malaysia's King.

However, there is no certainty over whether the King, who is meeting Mr Anwar at 2.30pm, will accept the resignation or ask Dr Mahathir to stay in office.

Another PH source said that the Palace was already presented with the necessary declarations of support on Sunday night, but the delay in forming a new ruling coalition may have been due to unresolved negotiations over government positions between those forming the new coalition tentatively called the National Alliance that is supposed to include opposition parties such as Umno and Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS).

Monday's developments are in line with reports on Sunday that Dr Mahathir is planning to replace Malaysia’s ruling pact with a wider coalition that includes opposition parties Umno and PAS, but could leave out his PH allies.

The four-party PH coalition had comprised multiracial PKR, the Chinese-led Democratic Action Party (DAP), Dr Mahathir’s Malay-based PPBM, and Parti Amanah Negara, a moderate Islamic party.

It is understood that Tun Dr Mahathir has coralled support of a majority of lawmakers in Parliament after a flurry of party meetings on Sunday (Feb 23) but has yet to receive the nod from Malaysia’s King to engineer his new so-called backdoor government.

A new coalition will need at least 112 MPs - a majority of the 222 seats in Parliament - to form a government.