Malaysia’s cabinet led by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has submitted its resignation to the king, a minister said Monday, throwing the country into fresh political turmoil as it battles a worsening coronavirus outbreak. “The cabinet has tendered our resignation to the (king),” Science Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said on Instagram.
Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has faced mounting pressure to step aside after losing his parliamentary majority, and over his administration’s handling of a worsening coronavirus outbreak.
He made a last-ditch attempt to cling to power Friday by urging opposition MPs to support him in exchange for institutional reforms — but his offer was rejected.
Minister Mohamad Redzuan Yusof told AFP that Muhyiddin informed lawmakers from his party during a meeting in Kuala Lumpur Sunday that he would tender his resignation.
“He will hold a final cabinet meeting on Monday, then he will head to the palace to submit his resignation letter,” said the minister in the prime minister’s department.
“We did try to convince him to stay on, but he said: ‘We do not have the number of MPs.’”
Muhyiddin told the meeting it would be up to the king — who has publicly criticised his government — to accept his resignation or not, the minister added.