KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's largest party, Umno, is set to back Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's remaining in office, in what would be a huge blow to hopes that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will ascend to the premiership around May under a deal agreed by the ruling Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition for a mid-term transition.

Party sources told The Straits Times that Umno president Zahid Hamidi, who was previously allied to Mr Anwar, the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president, now wants his party to support their former leader, Tun Dr Mahathir.