THE Muhyiddin Yassin government should immediately call for a sitting in Parliament so that the MPs can take a vote of confidence in the new prime minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamad said.

“We are going to ask for an urgent sitting of Parliament to see who has the majority to become the prime minister,” he said at a press conference this morning at Yayasan Al-Bukhary.

“Pakatan Harapan has 92 MPs and we have in total 114 MPs supporting me as the PM but we are not recognised as winners.

“We will have to be in the opposition.”

He said Muhyiddin was being sworn in as the prime minister despite not having the majority support.

“He needs to show he has the support in Dewan.”

Dr Mahathir admitted that it was possible for the new government to delay a Dewan Rakyat sitting which is scheduled for next week.

He said such a delay could work to Muhyiddin’s advantage, suggesting that the new government could buy the support of MPs.

“A lot of things can happen before the sitting. Many offers and inducements can be made to our people.

“If an urgent sitting is held, we can show that we have 114 MPs on our side and we can put to test the popularity of the new prime minister.

“Muhyiddin must hold an urgent parliament sitting to test his strength. And if the Dewan accepts him, he becomes the rightful PM… otherwise he will remain unendorsed by the MPs.”

Dr Mahathir began the press conference at Yayasan Al-Bukhary by narrating last week’s chain of events, which saw him resign as the prime minister and then offering to stand again for the post, losing the backing of Pakatan Harapan and then regaining it, until the moment he was betrayed by Muhyiddin.

“I feel betrayed mostly by Muhyiddin. He has been working on this for a long time and now he has succeeded.”

On the next step, he said it was PH’s duty was to inform the people that Muhyiddin is not the rightful prime minister as he does not have the majority support of the MPs. – March 1, 2020.