No-confidence motion against PM Muhyiddin unlikely to succeed, says Mahathir

KUALA LUMPUR: Dr Mahathir Mohamad has indicated that Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) attempt to table a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in parliament was unlikely to succeed.

Mr Muhyiddin could stay in office until the next general election, Dr Mahathir also said, according to a Sinar Harian report.

“Now that he is the government, he can afford to offer inducements to many,” said Dr Mahathir in an interview on Tuesday (Mar 10).

“I found that some of my supporters have been made ministers, so they switched sides.”

Dr Mahathir said that he was earlier backed by 114 lawmakers, out of the 222 seats in the House. But this number has been declining.

“Even if we mooted the vote of no-confidence (against the prime minister) in parliament, it may not succeed. This is because he had taken those who used to take my side.

“Of course, when he offers (lawmakers) to be ministers, it would be difficult for people to refuse. I can’t offer anything.”

Dr Mahathir resigned on Feb 24 as Mr Muhyiddin pulled Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia out of PH, sparking political turmoil in Malaysia.

A palace statement on Feb 29 said the king has found that the parliamentarian who likely commands the majority is Mr Muhyiddin, the Pagoh Member of Parliament.

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Mr Muhyiddin’s Cabinet was sworn in at Istana Melawati on Tuesday.

In the Sinar Harian interview, Dr Mahathir also accused former prime minister Najib Razak of engineering the change in government, as the latter wanted to create a Malay Muslim government so that he will get more support from the Malays.

Meanwhile, in an interview with Bloomberg earlier this week, former deputy premier Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said that Mr Anwar Ibrahim will most like lead the country if PH returns to power, instead of Dr Mahathir.