Muhyiddin eyes unprecedented snap election to vanquish Mahathir

Sources see Malaysian polls by March 2021, while coronavirus stimulus is fresh

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is said to be looking to strengthen his tenuous grip on power and "straighten the messy political scene." © Getty Images

P PREM KUMAR, Nikkei staff writer

June 17, 2020 14:12 JST

KUALA LUMPUR -- Embattled Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is considering a snap election, possibly by March 2021, as he looks to shore up his shaky position in parliament.

Sources close to Muhyiddin told the Nikkei Asian Review that the prime minister has expressed an intention to "straighten the messy political scene by seeking a fresh five-year mandate from the people."