KUALA LUMPUR , Malaysia’s King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah met with political party leaders on Tuesday to begin selecting a new prime minister, following the resignation of Muhyiddin Yassin on Monday after less than 18 months in office. The search for a successor comes as the country battles a severe Covid-19 outbreak, with daily cases exceeding 20,000 in August despite a seven-month state of emergency and lockdown since June. The king has ruled out a general election, citing widespread red zones and strained health facilities.
Muhyiddin’s resignation and the king’s role
Muhyiddin Yassin stepped down on August 16 after mounting public anger over his administration’s handling of the pandemic. Malaysia recorded among the world’s highest infection and death rates per capita. He will serve as caretaker prime minister until a replacement is chosen.
The king, who plays a largely ceremonial role, has the constitutional authority to appoint a candidate who commands majority support in parliament. He called eight party leaders to the palace on Tuesday and asked them to end their political quarrels. All lawmakers must submit the name of their preferred candidate by Wednesday.
Anwar Ibrahim’s bid for support
Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, who heads a three-party alliance, is one of the leading contenders. He said the king stressed that the new prime minister must not be vindictive and that all parties should work together to handle the pandemic and restore the economy.
“The king asked them to end their squabbling,” Anwar said after the meeting. “He focused on the fact that the new leader must not be vindictive. And that all parties should work in harmony in handling the pandemic and restoring the economy.”
Anwar currently has the backing of only 90 lawmakers, short of the 111 needed for a simple majority. That is fewer than the 100 lawmakers who supported Muhyiddin. A party from the eastern Sabah state with eight lawmakers has promised Anwar its support if he can secure enough numbers.
Ismail Sabri and other contenders
Former deputy prime minister Ismail Sabri from the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) is another candidate. UMNO is the largest party in Muhyiddin’s former alliance, holding 38 seats. Sabri previously led a faction that supported Muhyiddin, a move that UMNO opposed. As a result, he may not receive his own party’s backing.
Razaleigh Hamzah, an 84-year-old prince who served as finance minister, is also a possible candidate, according to local media. He is viewed as a neutral figure who could unite the party’s warring factions. Razaleigh is also an UMNO lawmaker.
Mahathir’s call for a recovery council
Former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, now 96, has proposed forming a national recovery council led by experts to address the country’s economic and health crises. He did not specify whether he would seek the prime minister’s post.
No single alliance holds a majority in parliament, making the selection process difficult. Muhyiddin came to power in March 2020 after engineering the collapse of the reformist government that won the 2018 elections. He led an unstable coalition with a razor-thin majority, becoming Malaysia’s shortest-serving prime minister.
The king’s decision will shape the country’s response to the pandemic and its economic recovery. Lawmakers must submit their candidate names by Wednesday, and the king is expected to announce the new prime minister soon after.
