Muhyiddin sworn in as new PM of Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR－Muhyiddin Yassin, a former deputy prime minister, took the oath of office on Sunday to become Malaysia's new prime minister.

Muhyiddin was appointed following the abrupt resignation of Mahathir Mohamad, 94, who had been in office since general elections in 2018.

Before Malaysia's King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah at the national palace, Muhyiddin, wearing traditional Malay clothes, pledged to serve the country and the people well.

Muhyiddin, 72, had served as deputy prime minister under former prime minister Najib Razak from 2009 to 2015.

He later cofounded Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, or PPBM, with Mahathir and served as its president, joining the Pakatan Harapan coalition to win the general election in 2018. He served as home minister in Mahathir's cabinet.

On the same day of Mahathir's abrupt resignation on Feb 24, Muhyiddin announced as party president that PPBM was pulling out of the PH coalition, costing its majority in the lower house of parliament.

Muhyiddin later won support from major opposition parties, including the Barisan Nasional led by the United Malays National Organization, known as the UMNO, and became a leading candidate for prime minister.

In a statement on Saturday, the national palace said that Sultan Abdullah believed Muhyiddin could command a majority in the lower house of parliament, and hence agreed to appoint him as prime minister in accordance with the constitution.

However, Mahathir, who again became PH's candidate for prime minister earlier on Saturday, unveiled a list of about 115 members of parliament whom he said support him to be prime minister, giving him a majority in the 222-seat lower house.

At a news conference on Sunday, Mahathir called for an early parliamentary sitting so MPs could see whether Muhyiddin commanded the majority.

According to Malaysia's constitution, the king can appoint a prime minister who in his judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of the house.

The constitution also stipulates that if the prime minister ceases to command the majority, the prime minister has to tender the resignation of the cabinet unless at his request the king dissolves parliament.