(CNN)Malaysian
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad submitted his resignation to the
country’s king on Monday, his office announced, a shock move that could
plunge the country into political crisis.
The
surprise announcement comes amid speculation that 94-year-old Mahathir
was attempting to form a new ruling coalition that would exclude his
promised successor Anwar Ibrahim.
Mahathir’s
party, the Malaysian United Indigenous Party (Bersatu) announced Monday
it would be dropping out of the ruling coalition Pakatan Harapan in
support of the prime minister.
“All members
of the House of Representatives of the party are also out of Pakatan
Harapan. All of them have signed the Oath to continue to support and
trust Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as the Prime Minister of Malaysia,”
according to a statement from BERSATU President Muhyiddin Mohd Yassin.
Mahathir, the world’s oldest leader, stunned many observers with a surprise election win in May 2018, ending six decades of dominance by the ruling UMNO-dominated Barisan Nasional coalition led by Najib Razak.
Entering
into his second stint as prime minister, having previously held the
position from 1981 to 2003, Mahathir was credited with turning Malaysia
into a major trading and economic force in Southeast Asia.
After
defeating Najib, who he blasted as corrupt and dictatorial, Mahathir had
promised to hand over power to his running mate, the former Deputy
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who Mahathir himself once jailed.
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