Mahathir re-emerges as candidate for new Malay PM

Mahathir led PH to power after winning the general election in 2018. But his abrupt resignation and the pulling out of his PPBM party from the PH cost the coalition its parliamentary majority.

Kuala Lumpur:Mahathir Mohamad, who resigned earlier this week as Malaysia's Prime Minister, re-emerged as a candidate for the post on Saturday after receiving support from the Pakatan Harapan (PH) ruling coalition.

In response to the statement that he had supported Muhyiddin Yassin, a former deputy prime minister and the President of Mahathir's own Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) party, the 94-year-old said he did not sign any statutory declaration in support of any individual.

Mahathir said he had a meeting with the PH coalition on Saturday morning and was now confident that he has the numbers needed to garner majority support in the lower house of Parliament.

"I am therefore prepared to stand as a prospective candidate for Prime Minister," he said in a statement.

Mahathir led PH to power after winning the general election in 2018.

But his abrupt resignation and the pulling out of his PPBM party from the PH on Monday cost the coalition its parliamentary majority.

In a statement on Saturday, PH, which has proposed former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim as a candidate for the premiership after Mahathir's resignation, said that they were now fully backing Mahathir for Prime Minister.

(With inputs from IANS)