Malaysian PM resigns after failing to get majority support

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and his cabinet resigned after more than 17 months in power, fueling a crisis of leadership in a country beset by a weakened economy and a surge in coronavirus cases. Muhyiddin, 74, will stay on as a caretaker prime minister until a successor is named, the palace said in a statement on Monday after he met with the country’s king earlier in the day. The king had accepted his resignation and said a fresh election is not the best option during a pandemic. Confirmation of the resignations first surfaced on an Instagram story posted by Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin. The palace made the official announcement before Muhyiddin addressed the country, signaling how strained ties had become and marking an end to an administration that has been beset by repeated demands from opposition lawmakers and coalition allies to step down. “I led the country in a state of unprecedented health and economic crises. At the same time I continued to face political threats,” Muhyiddin said on national television, striking a defiant tone.