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Unfolding Stories
Key Malaysian party withdraws support for embattled PM
Analysts say Muhyiddin Yassin likely to hold on to power in short term
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T
he biggest party in Malaysia's ruling coalition said Thursday it was withdrawing support for the embattled prime minister and urged him to step down.
There was no immediate reaction from Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, but analysts said he was likely to hold on to power in the short term.
His administration has been racked by instability for months -- it only has a razor-thin majority in parliament, and is beset by infighting between different factions.
Pressure has mounted since a state of emergency was declared in January to fight the coronavirus under which parliament was suspended, with critics charging Muhyiddin was using the crisis to cling to power.
After a meeting of its top decision-making body that stretched into the early hours of Thursday, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), the biggest party backing the premier, withdrew its support.
"UMNO respectfully urges Muhyiddin Yassin to step down to allow a new prime minister to be appointed for a limited period," party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said in a statement.
The new leader would steer the country through a worsening virus outbreak, before fresh elections can be held, he said.
