KUALA LUMPUR: A staunch Muslim nationalist backed by a scandal-mired party was sworn in as Malaysia’s premier on Sunday after a reformist government’s collapse, but former leader Mahathir Mohamad, 94, slammed the move as illegal.

The Southeast Asian nation was plunged into turmoil after Mahathir’s “Pact of Hope” alliance, which stormed to a historic victory in 2018, collapsed amid bitter infighting. Mahathir, who was the world’s oldest leader, initially quit as premier but then sought to return.

He lost in a power struggle however to little-known Muhyiddin Yassin, who heads a coalition dominated by the multi-ethnic country’s Muslim majority and has faced criticism for controversial remarks about race.

The king’s decision on Saturday to pick Muhyiddin as premier was greeted with shock as Mahathir’s allies claimed to have enough support, and it sparked widespread anger that the democratically elected government had been ejected.

Muhyiddin’s coalition includes the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), the party of disgraced ex-leader Najib Razak, as well as a hardline group that wants tougher Islamic laws.

UMNO was the corruption-riddled lynchpin of a coalition thrown out at the 2018 elections as allegations swirled that Najib and his cronies looted billions of dollars from state fund 1MDB. Najib is now on trial for corruption.

Just before Muhyiddin’s inauguration, Mahathir accused him of betrayal and said he would seek a parliamentary vote challenging the new premier’s support — signalling the political crisis is far from over.

“This is a very strange thing... losers will form the government, the winners will be in the opposition,” he said. “The rule of law no longer applies.”

A candidate for prime minister must prove to the king, who makes appointments to the position, that he has the backing of at least 112 MPs. Mahathir claims to have that number and beli­eves Muhyiddin does not.

Mahathir’s alliance said parliament should be allowed to re-convene on March 9, as it is scheduled to do, as speculation grows the new government might seek a delay. Muhyiddin’s inauguration went ahead on Sunday morning at the national palace, although Mahathir’s alliance boycotted it.

Meanwhile public anger is growing at the ejection of the reformist alliance, with the hashtag “NotMyPM” tren­ding on Twitter and more than 130,000 people signing a petition that said the move is a “betrayal” of voters’ choice at the 2018 poll.

Mahathir — who served a first stint as premier from 1981 to 2003 before staging a comeback two years ago — also raised concerns that ongoing court cases against Najib related to the 1MDB scandal could be affected by the change of government.

Mahathir came out of retirement aged 92 to take on his one-time protege Najib over the controversy, and has pledged to bring him to justice.

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2020