A timeline of the political turmoil that led to Monday’s resignation of embattled Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin:
Feb 24, 2020: A reformist ruling alliance collapses after more than 35 lawmakers withdraw their support, led by Muhyiddin’s Bersatu party. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad quits abruptly to protest Bersatu’s plan to form a new government with the corruption-tainted regime led by the United Malays National Organization party that he ousted in 2018 elections.
Feb 29: The king names Muhyiddin as the new prime minister after obtaining nominations from political party leaders.
March 4: Muhyiddin delays the opening of Parliament for more than two months to May 18.
March 18: The government imposes a national lockdown to curb the coronavirus pandemic that stretches until June.
May 18: Parliament resumes for a half day and shuts until July due to the pandemic.
May 29: The Bersatu party expels Mahathir, his son and three senior members.
July 28: Former Prime Minister Najib Razak, an UMNO lawmaker, is sentenced to 12 years in jail after a court finds him guilty in his first corruption trial involving a multibillion-dollar scandal.
Aug. 7: Mahathir forms a new ethnic Malay party to oppose the government.
Sept. 23: Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim claims he has a majority in Parliament to form a new government and is waiting to meet the king.
Sept. 26: Muhyiddin’s alliance wins a crucial election to take back control of eastern Sabah state that is ruled by the opposition.
Oct. 13: Anwar meets the king but the palace says he didn’t produce a list of names of those backing him.
Oct. 23: Muhyiddin meets the king to propose a state of emergency that would involve suspending Parliament to curb a rise in coronavirus infections sparked by the Sabah election.
Oct. 25: The king rejects Muhyiddin’s proposed emergency, but calls for a halt to “politicking.”
Jan. 12, 2021: Muhyiddin announces a state of emergency to tackle the pandemic after obtaining royal assent, with new daily infections surpassing 2,000. Parliament is suspended until Aug. 1, allowing him to rule by ordinance without legislative approval.
June 1: Malaysia enters a second nationwide virus lockdown with most businesses shuttered after daily infections soar above 9,000.
July 8: UMNO president says the party has withdrawn support for Muhyiddin and urges him to resign, but the party remains split. The attorney general says Muhyiddin remains in power until it can be proven in Parliament that he lost majority support.
July 26: Parliament reopens for a special five-day sitting to brief lawmakers on the pandemic. Law Minister Takiyuddin Hassan sparks an uproar by saying the government annulled all emergency ordinances on July 21 — denounced by the opposition as a tactic to avoid a vote.
July 29: The king says he didn’t approve the annulment and rebukes the government for misleading Parliament. It sparks new calls for Muhyiddin to resign but he insists he didn’t violate the constitution. Parliament is postponed until Aug. 2.
July 31: The health ministry says Parliament will be shut for two weeks after coronavirus cases are detected. Hundreds of young people stage a protest in the city center to demand Muhyiddin quit.
Aug. 2: Dozens of opposition lawmakers protest Parliament’s closure and call for Muhyiddin to resign.
Aug. 3: UMNO declares the government has fallen after some of its lawmakers pull their support. One UMNO Cabinet minister resigns.
Aug. 4: Muhyiddin says he will prove his legitimacy to rule in a vote in Parliament next month. New daily infections climb above 20,000.
Aug. 6: Second UMNO Cabinet minister resigns.
Aug. 13: Muhyiddin acknowledges that he may have lost majority support and seeks backing from opposition parties in return for sweeping concessions. But his offer is rejected by all opposition parties.
Aug. 16: Muhyiddin tenders his resignation to the king. He is appointed caretaker prime minister until a successor is found.
Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
