Yang diPertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has accepted the resignation of Dr Mahathir Mohamad as the prime minister.

Chief Secretary to the Government Mohd Zuki Ali, in a statement, said the king, however, has appointed Mahathir to be the interim prime minister of the caretaker government, until a replacement is in place.

"As the interim prime minister, he (Mahathir) will administer the country until a new prime minister and cabinet is appointed," said Mohd Zuki.

This comes after Mahathir's 5pm meeting with the King at the national palace.

In another statement later, Mohd Zuki also said that the King has consented to the removal of all cabinet ministers, following Mahathir's resignation.

"The duties of administrative officers, including the deputy prime minister, ministers, and deputy ministers, cease on the same date."

Earlier today, Mahathir resigned both as PM, and the Bersatu chairperson.

While his statements did not mention the reasons for his quitting, it is believed over the implication of his name in an alleged plot to form a backdoor government, by toppling Pakatan Harapan.

The alleged plot saw PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali, and his faction, as well as representatives from Bersatu, BN, PAS, GPS and Warisan, meeting with the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong on the formation of a new government.

Azmin and Zuraida were both fired from the party over the matter, earlier today. 10 other PKR MPs from Azmin's faction also quit the party later.

Meanwhile, Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin also announced that the party was quitting Harapan, and all the party's MPs will quit the coalition.

Pakatan Harapan coalition partners Amanah and DAP have both voiced support for Mahathir to continue as PM.

PKR president Anwar Ibrahim said that those staging the coup had used Mahathir's name without his consent.


Photo source: South China Morning Post.