By Adrian Lim
KUCHING, Feb 24: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad will be staying on as interim prime minister until a new premier and federal cabinet members have been appointed.
Chief secretary to the government Datuk Seri Mohd Zuki Ali, in a statement, said Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has appointed Dr Mahathir as the interim prime minister despite the latter submitting his resignation letter earlier.
He said the appointment of Dr Mahathir has been in accordance with Article 43 (2)(a) of the Federal Constitution.
“Therefore, the interim prime minister will continue to administer the country until such a time that a new prime minister and cabinet members have been appointed,” he continued.
Dr Mahathir submitted his resignation letter to the Agong at around 1pm today.
It was reported that he quit the cabinet because he does not favour working with members of the United Malays National Organisation (Umno).
Free Malaysia Today reported that the demands from Umno leaders were exorbitant, which caused the plan to form a new coalition government to turn sour.
There were also talks that that Dr Mahathir had a plan to form a new government with former Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali’s PKR faction, Umno and Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (Pas). — DayakDaily
