MUHYIDDIN Yassin does not know how long he can be prime minister after Anwar Ibrahim yesterday said he has the support of MPs to form a government, said Lim Kit Siang.

The DAP leader said Anwar’s announcement that he has the numbers and the dwindling support from Perikatan Nasional allies have put pressure on Muhyiddin.

“Muhyiddin himself does not know how long he would continue as prime minister, even as a backdoor prime minister,” said the Iskandar Puteri MP in a statement today.

“Political calculations are changing every minute, as what is relevant and supportable on one day may not be so relevant and supportable on another day,” Lim added.

Anwar yesterday said the PN government led by Muhyiddin had collapsed as he had a convincing majority to take over Putrajaya.

The Port Dickson MP said he had spoken to the king on the telephone, after the monarch was admitted to the National Heart Institute.

Anwar said he would reveal the number of MPs who support him only after he had informed the king.

“Suddenly, Malaysia has two prime ministers at one and the same time – prime minister in office Muhyiddin Yassin and prime minister in-waiting Anwar Ibrahim,” Lim said.

“Muhyiddin is now a weaker prime minister at the end of the 2020 Sabah state general election than at the beginning two weeks ago,” he said.

Lim said Muhyiddin’s attempt to defend his position after Anwar’s announcement yesterday was poor.

“Muhyiddin implied that Anwar was bluffing, but Muhyiddin dared not call the bluff, considering that he is himself an illegitimate ‘back door’ prime minister.”

Soon after Anwar’s announcement, DAP and Amanah issued statements pledging their support to him.

Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and PAS, however, said they support Muhyiddin.

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said his party members were free to support Anwar. 

DAP has 42 MPs, Amanah has 11, PKR has 38, Umno and 41 and Gabungan Parti Sarawak has 18. – September 24, 2020.