Malaysia’s king says new premier will have to face confidence vote

JAKARTA, Indonesia

Malaysia's king on Wednesday said a new prime minister will have to test his support in parliament to prove his majority.

Muhyiddin Yassin resigned on Monday after losing his majority in parliament following the withdrawal of support by 15 members of the UMNO party.

In a statement issued by his palace, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah gave all 220 members of parliament until 4:00 p.m. local time (0800 GMT) to submit a name of their choice of prime minister.


"His Majesty also emphasized that the ballot is intended to help him make a decision to appoint a member of the People's Council who he thinks can win the trust of a majority of parliamentarians," the statement said.


It said the king will chair a special Conference of Rulers meeting this Friday to discuss current affairs.

The king and his deputy said that the unending political turmoil has disrupted the governance during a time when the country still faces the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the statement.


The royals noted that the existing political crisis has had a negative impact on the economy, while holding a fresh election is not the best choice at the moment for the safety of the people.

On Monday, the Malaysian ringgit fell to its lowest level in a year on expectations of the resignation of the prime minister.

The royals urged MPs to come to terms with each other and called for the unification of all political parties in addressing issues currently plaguing the country, it added.

On Tuesday, some political party leaders met with the king to discuss the process of determining the prime minister candidate and forming a government.


In Malaysian politics, a minimum of 112 members of the 222-seat parliament is required to form a government.


Former Deputy Prime Minister Ismail Sabri, opposition figure Anwar Ibrahim, and former Foreign Minister Hishamuddin Hussein are currently on the list of strong candidates for the new prime minister.

* Writing by Rhany Chairunissa Rufinaldo with Anadolu Agency’s Indonesian language services in Jakarta.