News by M

Adding to the drama was the departure of 11 members of Parliament (MPs) from PKR, an exodus led by its deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali.

Speaking to reporters after the party's emergency meeting on Monday night, Marzuki said the party also reiterated its support for Mahathir as prime minister.

In a statement posted on his Facebook account, the erstwhile PKR deputy president said the group was convinced that the efforts to force Mahathir to set a date to hand over his prime ministership was an "evil plot to make the prime minister a lame duck PM".

Chief Secretary to the Government Mohd Zuki Ali: As such, the duties of the administrative members (including the deputy prime minister, ministers, deputy ministers and political secretaries) have been halted on the same date.

The “interim prime minister has all the powers attached to the powers of the office of the prime minister”, said Tommy Thomas.

Leaders of the parties still within the Pakatan Harapan coalition are “meeting at an undisclosed location”, while supporters of ex-PKR deputy president Azmin Ali are gathering at a hotel in the city.

“The uncertainty also indirectly affects the current economic situation. Our stock market was hit hard when it became known that the Mahathir government had fallen.”

The Fitch Ratings Inc affiliate said in a report today that the political instability in Malaysia is shaping up to be a longer-lasting phenomenon than just a temporary issue after the 2018 general election.

“I don’t think Tun (Dr Mahathir) masterminded it (the move). Why does he want to resign (if he is the mastermind). We have to wait.”

“As voters, we are utterly disgusted by such political machinations by both the government and opposition MPs who defy democratic norms of responsible party politics,” said the groups, led by Bersih 2.0, the coalition for clean and fair elections.