48 hours of political tumult
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Hazlin Hassan Malaysia Correspondent In Kuala Lumpur, Hazlin Hassan
The Malaysian King has accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, but immediately re-appointed him interim prime minister yesterday, in the second day of political drama as the ruling Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition collapsed with the departure of dozens of lawmakers.
Tun Dr Mahathir's Parti Pri-bumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM), which has 26 MPs, said it has left the PH coalition.
The exit of these lawmakers and 11 more from the Azmin Ali faction in Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) has left PH short of a simple majority in Parliament, meaning that the current government has effectively fallen.
Dr Mahathir also shockingly resigned from his position as chairman of PPBM.
SUNDAY
9am
Dr Mahathir's PPBM holds a six-hour meeting at the party headquarters in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Supreme Council member Redzuan Yusof said the party discussed its threat to leave ruling coalition PH. "There were some discussions (about the suggestion for PPBM) to leave PH," he was quoted as saying by the Malaylanguage Berita Harian daily.
10am
PKR deputy president Azmin Ali and his supporters hold a meeting at Sheraton Hotel in Petaling Jaya. These are said to include Cabinet ministers Zuraida Kamaruddin and Saifuddin Abdullah. Datuk Seri Azmin is said to be leading about 10 of PKR's 50 MPs to join a new coalition.
4pm
Umno holds an emergency Sup-reme Council meeting at its headquarters in the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur.
6pm
Five party presidents and one deputy president from the planned new coalition hold an audience with the King.
8pm
Supporters attend prayers at Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's residence. Shouts of his party's battle cry "Reformasi!" are reportedly heard inside. Members of the new coalition attend a dinner at Sheraton Hotel in Petaling Jaya, but Dr Mahathir was not present.
MONDAY
10.30am
Mr Anwar, who is PKR president; Deputy Prime Minister Wan Azizah Wan Ismail; Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng from the Democratic Action Party; and Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu from Parti Amanah Negara leave the Prime Minister's Office after failing to meet Dr Mahathir.
11am
PH's four component party leaders meet Dr Mahathir at his residence in Country Heights.
1pm
Dr Mahathir resigns as prime minister of Malaysia.
2pm
Dr Mahathir's PPBM party exits the ruling PH coalition and 11 PKR MPs resign, resulting in the collapse of the PH government.
2.30pm
Mr Anwar meets the King at the National Palace.
3pm
Dr Mahathir steps down as chairman of PPBM, which he founded.
3.20pm
Mr Mohamad, who is president of Amanah, announces his party's support for Dr Mahathir to remain as prime minister. Amanah was a member of the four-party PH.
4pm
Mr Anwar says that Dr Mahathir was not involved in the political plot.
4.45pm
Dr Mahathir enters the National Palace gates for an audience with the King.
Mr Lim states support for Dr Mahathir as prime minister.
7pm
Malaysia's King has accepted Dr Mahathir's resignation, but appoints him as interim prime minister until a new leader is chosen.
