Malaysian leader seeks opposition backing to stay in power

Embattled Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has acknowledged he may have lost majority support in Parliament but says he will seek the backing of opposition parties to keep his government from collapsing and promised to hold elections next year

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Embattled Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin acknowledged Friday he may have lost majority support in Parliament but said he will seek the backing of opposition parties to keep his government from collapsing and promised to hold elections next year. Muhyiddin has pledged to test support for his leadership when Parliament resumes next month, but has been under increasing pressure after some governing coalition lawmakers withdrew their backing. Muhyiddin said he could take the easy way out and resign but that no other lawmaker currently has the necessary support of a majority to be appointed by the king as the new leader. In such a case, he said, there would be no government and this would throw the country into limbo during a worsening pandemic. Muhyiddin said he will meet opposition leaders to obtain their support in exchange for a raft of benefits, including proposals to limit the prime minister's tenure, bolster checks and balances, and offer the opposition leader a senior minister role.