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Unity deal or corruption? Malaysian PM Muhyiddin Yassin’s last-ditch offer under scrutiny as endgame nears
- The embattled leader has offered major concessions to the opposition including Anwar Ibrahim, with observers warning that such deals will imperil Malaysia’s fragile democratic system
- With the bargain showing that Muhyiddin no longer has majority legislative support, all eyes are now on a meeting between him and Malaysia’s king that could take place on Monday
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When does political deal making cross the line into criminality?
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In Malaysia, this question has come squarely into focus after Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on Friday offered major concessions to the opposition in exchange for their backing in a no-confidence vote next month.
The embattled leader, who pitched his deal in a televised address, outlined eight proposals including a promise to hold fresh polls by July 2022.
The main objective of his offer, Muhyiddin argued, was to maintain political stability amid the Covid-19 crisis.
Recent defections have reduced his parliamentary support to below a simple majority of 111 among 220 lawmakers, and defeat in the September 7 floor test will force the country’s constitutional monarch to appoint a new prime minister.
To stay in power, Muhyiddin among other things offered his bitter rival and Malaysia’s official opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim, the status and privileges of a senior minister – a position currently held by just five loyalists in the 32-member national cabinet.
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