Dr M resigns as PM

(MMO) – Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has resigned as prime minister today, after two days of intense speculation that he would lead his political party Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) to exit the ruling coalition Pakatan Harapan and form a new government with new coalition partners.

Dr Mahathir, 94, had been prime minister of Malaysia twice in the nation’s history.

This will be the second time he has quit the post. With this resignation, Dr Mahathir will have the distinction of being both Malaysia’s longest-serving and shortest-serving prime minister.

In his first stint, Dr Mahathir was the prime minister under the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration for 22 years or five terms between July 16, 1981 to October 31, 2003, having first assumed the position when he was aged 56 and then stepping down aged 78.

After leading the Pakatan Harapan coalition to victory in the 14th general elections on May 9, 2018, Dr Mahathir at age 92 was sworn in the next day and took up the position of prime minister again, almost 15 years after his “retirement” from politics when he gave up the post.

Dr Mahathir’s resignation today just about three months shy of PH’s second anniversary in power, and also after rumours that the coalition would lose federal power even before it completes its first term due to a purported new coalition to be formed under Dr Mahathir’s leadership.

At about the same time when news of his resignation surfaced, Dr Mahathir’s party Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) today also announced that it had decided yesterday to pull out of the PH coalition.