Malaysia's Ex-PM Mahathir Expellled

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's ruling party on Thursday terminated the membership of his predecessor Mahathir Mohamad, a move widely viewed as an attempt to consolidate power as he faces a potential challenge to his nascent premiership.

Mahathir, 94, had announced that he would try to remove Muhyiddin from the government for a "backdoor arrangement" that put back to power a scribbled faction that was defeated by the voters in the 2018 election.

In a letter circulated widely on social media, the party stated that Mahathir automatically ceased to be a member after he made a show of rejecting Muhyiddin's leadership as prime minister and party president by sitting with the opposition when parliament met last week.

Similar letters were also sent to Mahathir's son and party vice president, Mukhriz, and three others associated with the former prime minister.

The Muhyiddin aid confirmed that the letters were authentic.

Mahathir 's office refused to respond immediately to the request for comments, as the letter itself had not yet been seen, the aide said.

In March, Muhyiddin, once a trusted lieutenant to Mahathir, unexpectedly emerged as prime minister after forging an alliance with the former ruling party, the United Malays National Organization, to gain a parliamentary majority.

The opposition accused him of stealing power by shifting alliances instead of winning them in the ballot box.

Mahathir, who resigned in February as his multi-ethnic ruling coalition collapsed, has said he will seek a vote of confidence in Muhyiddin 's leadership.

Source: Reuters