Malaysia's Muhyiddin on brink as key party ready to bolt coalition

Move comes hours after prime minister taps UMNO lawmaker as his deputy

20210707NY Malaysia PM and Defense Minister

Malaysia's Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, right, and Defense Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob at the prime minister's office. Muhyiddin appointed Ismail as his deputy in a calculated bid to dissuade the party from withdrawing support for his leadership. © AP

TAKASHI NAKANO, Nikkei staff writer

SINGAPORE -- The largest party in Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's ruling coalition said early Thursday that it will withdraw support for the government and call for his resignation, local media report.

The United Malays National Organization, or UMNO, controls 36 of the 222 seats in the lower house of Malaysia's parliament. If the party acts on its decision, it would push Muhyiddin's government to the brink of collapse.

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