Muhyiddin Yassin is now PM8.5
So there you have it. Muhyiddin Yassin is out, as they wanted. But Muhyiddin Yassin is still in, until not less than 111 MPs can agree on who should be the PM9. In that sense, Muhyiddin is neither PM8 any longer, nor PM9 yet. He is just PM8.5 for the meantime.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has lost the confidence of the majority of the 220 members of parliament. That happened when 15 Umno MPs announced they have withdrawn support from the government.
This means, according to the Federal Constitution of Malaysia, Muhyiddin must either resign as PM8 or request Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s consent to dissolve parliament to make way for a snap general election or GE15.
His Majesty the Agong, however, is of the opinion that a general election is too risky at this stage due to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. Maybe a general election can be held later, once the number of Covid infections drop from 20,000 a day to, say, just 2,000, or until when 90% of Malaysia’s population has been fully vaccinated.
That means the only option left, in the event parliament cannot be dissolved to make way for GE15, would be for Muhyiddin to resign and a new prime minister or PM9 be appointed.
But then who is this new prime minister or PM9?
That has yet to be decided as the lobbying and negotiating behind the scenes is still ongoing. In fact, it has been going on for some time now, not only since Muhyiddin announced his resignation.
The question is, is Malaysia going to get a new government or is Malaysia going to get the same government with a new prime minister? That depends on whether the 220 MPs can come to an agreement on who should be PM9.
The main players in deciding the new PM are Umno, DAP, PKR, PPBM, PAS, Amanah, and the two coalitions from Sabah and Sarawak. Barisan Nasional, meaning MIC and MCA, may not have much say in the matter.
Because it has not been determined yet who has at least 111 MPs behind him or her, the Agong has appointed Muhyiddin as the caretaker prime minister. This is what the Umno Youth Leader wanted and what he meant by “interim” prime minister, a function not mentioned anywhere in the Constitution.
A caretaker prime minister remains in charge until a new prime minister is appointed. So, unless they can agree (or at least 111 MPs can agree) on who should be the PM9, the caretaker prime minister can run the country single-handedly indefinitely.
So there you have it. Muhyiddin Yassin is out, as they wanted. But Muhyiddin Yassin is still in, until not less than 111 MPs can agree on who should be the PM9. In that sense, Muhyiddin is neither PM8 any longer, nor PM9 yet. He is just PM8.5 for the meantime.
