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Malaysian PM Muhyiddin Yassin pushes Parliament sitting to May, delaying any confidence vote

  • Muhyiddin was appointed prime minister by Malaysia’s king on the weekend, after a political coup prompted elder statesman Mahathir Mohamad to resign
  • The decision to suspend parliament virtually quashes any chance of Muhyiddin’s Perikatan Nasional coalition being quickly removed from power

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Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, alongside his wife Noraini Abdul Rahman. Photo: AFP
Malaysia’s newly appointed Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has postponed the next parliamentary sitting until May 18 as he faces questions about his ability to survive a planned no-confidence motion against him.
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In a statement released on Wednesday, the Speaker of the House Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof confirmed the sitting would be delayed. Malaysian media earlier quoted him as saying he received a letter about the postponement on Monday evening.

Muhyiddin was appointed prime minister by Malaysia’s king on the weekend, after a political coup prompted elder statesman Mahathir Mohamad to resign.

The decision to suspend parliament virtually quashes any chance of Muhyiddin’s new Perikatan Nasional coalition being quickly removed from power.

Mahathir and his on-off ally Anwar Ibrahim – along with their Pakatan Harapan alliance – have said they have the support of 112 of the country’s 222 lawmakers, and were ready to demonstrate that majority on March 9, the previously scheduled date of the next parliamentary sitting.
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