The Malaysian Insight

DR Mahathir Mohamad is back at work in Putrajaya, a day after he resigned as prime minister only to see the Yang di-Pertuan Agong appoint him interim head of government.

He arrived at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Putra Perdana building about 9.40am after departing his residence in Seri Kembangan, where several Bersatu leaders had gone to meet him.

It is unclear if they met the interim prime minister as Dr Mahathir, who is still a Bersatu member but has resigned as party chairman, left for the office not long after they arrived.

Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Dr Mahathir’s former deputy prime minister, also arrived at PMO at 10.25am

Dr Mahathir resigned as prime minister and appointed on an interim basis  following a weekend of speculation that he was behind a plot to break up the Pakatan Harapan government and form an alliance with opposition parties.

DAP had said Dr Mahathir was not behind such a plot, and blamed Umno, PAS and “PKR renegades” led by sacked deputy party president Mohamed Azmin Ali.

Attorney-General Tommy Thomas said Dr Mahathir may remain interim prime minister and run the government for an undetermined period.

However, the cabinet Dr Mahathir appointed in 2018 is dissolved, as per convention. But as interim prime minister, he may appoint cabinet members, the A-G said.

Dr Mahathir has the support to be prime minister from most parties and MPs, but no coalition or bloc of parties has the numbers to tell the King that they can form a government.

Leaders of major political parties are holding meetings to forge a deal while waiting to see who Dr Mahathir will align himself with.– February 25, 2020.