KUALA LUMPUR (Mar 1): Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad conceded today that the losers will form the government and the winners will be the opposition, claiming that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has denied him an audience to prove his claim.
According to online portal Malaysiakini, Mahathir was quoted saying at a press conference this morning that Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) will be sworn in as the eighth prime minister without commanding the majority support.
"The loser would form a government, while the winner will become the opposition.
"It is a very strange situation," Mahathir told reporters at Yayasan Al Bukhary in Kuala Lumpur.
He noted that despite him receiving the support of 114 other MPs, including 92 from Pakatan Harapan, their bloc was not considered the winner.
Last night, Mahathir released a list of 115 MPs — including himself — who support him as prime minister.
However, two MPs in the list — Bukit Gantang MP Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal and Sri Aman MP Masir Kujat — have come out to deny backing Dr Mahathir, instead saying they support Muhyiddin, reported Malaysiakini.
A simple majority of 112 MPs in the Dewan Rakyat is required to form a government.
At the press conference this morning, as Mahathir chronicled the sequence of events that led to Muhyiddin becoming the eighth prime minister of Malaysia, he said that an urgent sitting of parliament will be requested to test Muhyiddin’s power in the august House.
“We are going to ask for an urgent sitting of Parliament to see who has the majority to become the prime minister."
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