Mahathir Tempers Calls for Fresh Polls As Lawmakers Choose Sides

(Bloomberg) --

Malaysia's former leader Mahathir Mohamad tempered calls for an election while saying he doesn't expect many more lawmakers to move to his side in the opposition.

The country isn't fit to hold polls at the moment considering the pandemic and the economic situation, he said in a press briefing on Friday. His comments come after former premier Najib Razak said Malaysians would prefer to opt for an election if the country's political situation remains unstable.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin assumed power in March after a weeklong turmoil. The king named him the lawmaker most likely to secure majority support in parliament, which Mahathir disputes. It remains unclear how much backing Muhyiddin holds as the only parliament session since then was limited to a one-day affair, which stopped the opposition from launching a motion of no confidence.

Mahathir declined to say how much support his opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan holds in parliament, saying numbers “keep appearing and disappearing.” On Thursday, he welcomed one lawmaker, a deputy works minister who resigned to join his side.

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said in May that he has 107 lawmakers on his side.

Mahathir maintains that he is still the chairman of Malaysian United Indigenous Party, commonly known as Bersatu, despite skipping a supreme council meeting on Thursday. A few party members walked out of the session in protest as the meeting led by Muhyiddin affirmed his dismissal.

Mahathir also raised concern over how a few Bersatu party members were questioned by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission in dark rooms or detained for multiple days, which he said was meant to pressure the opposition.

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.