The controversial move by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob's administration to back away from a confidence motion requested by Malaysia's King comes after the opposition Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition offered to only abstain in the vote, in exchange for several Covid-19 and reform initiatives.

Official sources told The Straits Times that the main opposition coalition had handed in a draft agreement on the abstention offer before last week's Cabinet meeting, at which it was decided that a ministerial committee involving all major ruling parties in government would be set up to study the proposal.