King expected to name new PM after rulers' meet

KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 20): The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah is expected to announce the appointment of the country's new prime minister following a meeting with other royal rulers on Friday, reported Reuters.

The report said the conference of royals, comprising the Southeast Asian nation's nine sultans, including the king, will meet at 2.30pm.

Malaysia’s Cabinet, led by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, tendered its resignation on Aug 16 to the King, after months of political turmoil that resulted in a loss of the former premier’s parliamentary majority.

Earlier reports said Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob is poised to succeed Muhyiddin as prime minister. If Ismail Sabri is appointed as the country’s leader, it also means United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), Malaysia’s longest-governing political party will reclaim the premiership which it lost in the 2018 election, when the opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan led by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad defeated the former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

The 61-year-old has the support of 114 lawmakers out of the 222-seat parliament, UMNO lawmaker Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan told reporters on Thursday.

The report said Muhyiddin, now serving as caretaker PM, said his alliance's support was conditional on Ismail Sabri ensuring that the new cabinet members were free from graft charges.

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