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Malaysia
This Week in AsiaPolitics

Mukhriz Mahathir, son of Malaysia’s former PM, remains defiant despite being forced to quit as Kedah chief minister

  • The move against Mukhriz has been interpreted as current Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s latest reprisal against efforts to unseat him
  • Muhyiddin replaced Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister in March after the king determined Mahathir had lost the confidence of parliament

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Mukhriz Mahathir, who is PPBM deputy president, last week maintained he still held majority support in the Kedah state assembly. Photo: SCMP Pictures
Tashny Sukumaran
Mukhriz Mahathir, the son of former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, on Sunday stepped down as chief minister of the Malaysian state of Kedah, vacating the role for the second time in his career and dealing a further blow to his father’s attempts to return his ousted Pakatan Harapan coalition to power.
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“I would rather die standing than live on bended knees,” Mukhriz said during a press conference where he announced his decision after losing the support of the state legislative assembly.

Kedah’s state assembly became the scene of a political stand-off after several Pakatan Harapan-linked MPs quit the bloc, effectively stripping the coalition of its majority within the 36-person institution and bringing about a change of government.

From left: Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad and Mahathir’s son, Mukhriz Mahathir, during their party’s general assembly in 2018. Photo: AP
From left: Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad and Mahathir’s son, Mukhriz Mahathir, during their party’s general assembly in 2018. Photo: AP

Mukhriz’s replacement Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor represents the hardline Islamist party PAS, allied to the ruling nationalist Perikatan Nasional bloc, which came to power in March following a political coup. Mahathir quit as prime minister after the defection of several lawmakers and the ousting of the Pakatan Harapan coalition which had governed the country for just 21 months.

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The state news agency Bernama said Sanusi was sworn in on Sunday afternoon by Kedah’s Sultan Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah.

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