Muhyiddin resists call to hold vote of confidence earlier

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is resisting demands to bring forward a parliamentary confidence vote from next month despite the King joining the chorus of calls for the embattled leader to prove his majority earlier.

The Straits Times understands that consecutive meetings were held with party chiefs of his Perikatan Nasional (PN) government on Wednesday evening - first at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and then at his residence - to discuss internal matters, as well as plans to stave off an ouster.

Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah's request earlier on Wednesday during an audience with the Prime Minister was the main item on the agenda.

The monarch had asked that Parliament reconvene sooner than Sept 6, the original date scheduled for the confidence vote.

Sources privy to the discussions said Tan Sri Muhyiddin's Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia believed bowing to royal pressure would signal weakness and encourage its opponents to continue fanning public sentiment for the palace to wade into the ongoing political crisis.

This would be consistent with how the Prime Minister dug in his heels last month after clashing with the King over the Cabinet's decision to revoke emergency ordinances. The PMO insisted that the Constitution obliges the ruler to act on the advice of his government.

"Conceding to the monarchy would make us look shaky," a top PN official told ST. "This would hurt us when negotiating with MPs for support."

Eleven Umno MPs withdrew their support from Mr Muhyiddin's government on Aug 3, leading the opposition to claim that PN had lost its majority. Umno, with its 38 MPs, forms the biggest bloc in the PN pact.

But on Aug 4, in a nationwide address, Mr Muhyiddin said he was convinced he still had a majority, and that Sultan Abdullah agreed for his support to be tested in a confidence vote next month.

Critics, though, accused Mr Muhyiddin of misleading the King, who had summoned the Prime Minister to discuss whether he should resign as he had lost his parliamentary majority. They insisted that he should prove his majority immediately, and that waiting until next month would allow Mr Muhyiddin to use his powers of incumbency to shore up support.

The PN meetings on Wednesday also discussed efforts to marshal support for the parliamentary vote, officials told ST, with a fresh election remaining "the last resort", even if the government fails in the confidence vote.

About 14 Umno MPs are now believed to have disavowed Mr Muhyiddin's leadership, on top of the 105-strong opposition in the 222-seat legislature. Two seats are currently vacant.

Although there is no provision for a minority government in the Constitution, Mr Muhyiddin's inner circle believes that with at least 100 MPs, PN is still best placed to remain in power, as no other candidate appears to be able to garner more support.

Political scientist Wong Chin Huat told ST that if the Prime Minister is defeated and Parliament is not dissolved, "the King should then give the chance for the leaders of other parties to form the next government".

He added: "If no one can assemble a majority, then Muhyiddin may stay on as the minority PM until he loses Parliament's confidence again."

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has 88 MPs in his Pakatan Harapan pact, but few among the rest of the 17 opposition lawmakers - largely loyal to former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad - are willing to back him.

While Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has worked hand in hand with Datuk Seri Anwar in recent months to topple the Prime Minister, Umno itself had resolved at its general assembly this year that it would not ally with Mr Anwar, its long-time foe.

Umno MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, the nation's longest-serving lawmaker, is seen as a compromise candidate, but Mr Anwar's camp has been unwilling to play second fiddle.

PN's reluctance to dissolve Parliament is driven not only by fears of being held responsible for stoking what is already Malaysia's deadliest Covid-19 wave, but also by the sense that "this will only benefit Zahid".

Many in Umno believe the party will regain its dominance in the event of snap polls.

Mr Muhyiddin has alluded to pressure from Zahid's camp, which includes former prime minister Najib Razak, to intervene in their graft cases, and insisted that he will not interfere with the judiciary.