Opinion | In Malaysia’s constant crisis, conditions are perfect for Muhyiddin the politician
- Covid-19 is untamed, Mahathir is circling, there are rumbles of royal discontent and he has a razor thin majority in parliament. Yet despite his rocky boat, the prime minister is maintaining his course
- Not only have people underestimated Muhyiddin Yassin, but he has used this to his advantage to deceive his adversaries and exploit the weaknesses of a disorderly opposition
Last week was a succession of power-positioning from every side of the political spectrum. Mahathir proposed the formation of a special council (Mageran) to take over the management of multiple crises - health, economic, social and political - echoing the National Operations Council created in the aftermath of the 1969 racial riots (the first and only time prior to the coronavirus pandemic that a State of Emergency had been declared in Malaysia). Despite previous promises to not take the leadership again Mahathir offered to coordinate the council.
Rumour has it Hishammuddin Hussein, the minister of foreign affairs, tried to get Umno MPs’ to support him in a bid for the prime minister’s post while other members of the cabinet have already been eyeing which direction to jump in anticipation of a possible change of government.
Currently, Umno is tiptoeing around the question of its support for the government but is facing internal disagreements. Meanwhile, Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan has not proposed any new plan but to reopen parliament. Once again though, like in late 2020 when he tried to take over parliament, Anwar assured the king he had the numbers, in vain.
Since appointing Muhyiddin as prime minister, the king has carved out a more prominent role for himself in the country’s politics – and this despite the criticisms he and the queen have faced in recent weeks. The State of Emergency declared this year gives extended ruling powers to the prime minister while parliament is suspended. In this extraordinary setting, legal experts do not agree on the nature and extent of the king’s powers over the cabinet.