Malaysia opposition leader Muhyiddin Yassin said he would not defend his party presidency in upcoming internal polls, about a year after his pro-Malay coalition made surprise gains in the general election.
“I will not defend the president’s post in the party elections that will be held by the end of next year,” said the former prime minister at his Bersatu party’s annual general meeting on Friday.
Muhyiddin heads the Malay-majority opposition bloc Perikatan Nasional, which made significant electoral headway during provincial polls in August as well as in last year’s nationwide vote. Friday’s announcement comes a year after a crucial misstep on Muhyiddin’s part helped his rival Anwar Ibrahim become prime minister.
Muhyiddin said his decision was to give room for a new crop of leaders to take over the party. Four Bersatu lawmakers in recent weeks had shifted their support to Anwar, providing the prime minister a supermajority in parliament.
