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Malaysia's turmoil deepens with Mahathir's fate in doubt

Lawmakers blast him for asking parliament to vote on a new leader, saying the move disrespects the monarch

Published Fri, Feb 28, 2020 · 09:50 PM — Updated Fri, Dec 15, 2023 · 10:45 PM

    Kuala Lumpur

    UNCERTAINTY grew over the political fate of Malaysia's 94-year-old Mahathir Mohamad on Friday, after the royal palace rejected a plan for selecting a new prime minister and his party dropped him as its candidate for the premiership. They chose his next-in-line Muhyiddin Yassin instead.

    Dr Mahathir had said on Thursday that there would be a vote in parliament on March 2 for a new prime minister, but the palace announced after a meeting of the country's nine sultans that there would be no such special sitting.

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