By: Kayhan Int’l
The latest turn of events in Kuala Lumpur, which surprised observers and political analysts watching the resignation of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad last week due to dispute among party members followed by his speedy patching up of differences with full confidence of re-election that was thwarted on Sunday by the constitutional king’s astonishing announcement in naming ex-interior minister Muhyiddin Yassin of the former scandal-ridden government of Najib Abdur-Razaq, as the new Premier, did not come as a surprise for those aware of Saudi meddling.
Ever since the fall of the strongly pro-Riyadh Najib in May 2018 and election of nonagenarian Mahathir – the veteran Prime Minister who served the country from 1981 to 2003 – Saudi Arabia has been trying to undermine the government of Malaysia, especially after last December’s hosting in Kuala Lumpur of an Islamic summit that among others saw the Executive Heads of Iran, Turkey, and Qatar, as well as the Hamas leader participate, with the notable absentee being Imran Khan of Pakistan because of pressures from Riyadh despite his promise to attend.
The Saudi involvement, although not being mentioned in the media because of obvious flow of petrodollars from the Persian Gulf as was the case last December when newspapers, websites, channels and other publications in Pakistan, Jordan, Egypt, Sudan, Iraq, Lebanon, Indonesia and India, were generously bribed by Riyadh to undermine the Kuala Lumpur Islamic summit, was evident to those closely watching the twist of events in Malaysia, especially over the past few days.
It should be noted that last Monday, after his governing coalition, called the Alliance of Hope, collapsed under the weight of internal rivalries, Mahathir resigned, but King Abdullah quickly named him as Interim Prime Minister.
Then followed a series of political alignments, realignments and yet more realignments, with every half-day seeming to bring a new political reality. By Saturday (day before yesterday), when it appeared that the 94-year old Mahathir had succeeded in ironing out the differences amongst members of the Alliance of Hope – including Malay nationalists, Chinese reformists and Islamists – fully hopeful of becoming Prime Minister yet again, his hopes were dashed.
The constitutional king suddenly claimed that the majority of legislators in the parliament supported Muhyiddin’s candidacy for prime minister – without citing details, but obviously under pressures from far off Saudi Arabia.
Yesterday morning Mahathir quickly questioned the king’s about turn, and pointed out that his party had, in fact, rallied enough votes to support him in forming the government.
As King Abdullah went ahead with the swearing-in-ceremony for Muhyiddin at the national palace, without awaiting the vote in the Parliament which is to meet on March 9, Mahathir accused the incoming prime minister of betrayal, criticizing him for aligning, once again, with the pro-Saudi U.M.N.O.
He added that he would never partner with such a corrupt party even if it meant losing power. Mahathir has threatened a vote of no confidence against Muhyiddin at the upcoming parliament session, as most Malaysian legislators, themselves surprised at the weird developments in their country, are unwilling to totally count the experienced nonagenarian statesman out, even in his fairly advanced age.
Malaysia seems to have entered an uncertain phase, while the Americans and the Saudis are obviously happy, as was evident from the congratulatory cable to Muhydidin from Najib Razaq, who is being tried on various corruption-related charges as one of the most brazen lootings of national assets by a modern-day leader, in addition to receiving an accounted sum of ten million US dollars from Saudi Arabia.
Ever since the fall of the strongly pro-Riyadh Najib in May 2018 and election of nonagenarian Mahathir – the veteran Prime Minister who served the country from 1981 to 2003 – Saudi Arabia has been trying to undermine the government of Malaysia, especially after last December’s hosting in Kuala Lumpur of an Islamic summit that among others saw the Executive Heads of Iran, Turkey, and Qatar, as well as the Hamas leader participate, with the notable absentee being Imran Khan of Pakistan because of pressures from Riyadh despite his promise to attend.
The Saudi involvement, although not being mentioned in the media because of obvious flow of petrodollars from the Persian Gulf as was the case last December when newspapers, websites, channels and other publications in Pakistan, Jordan, Egypt, Sudan, Iraq, Lebanon, Indonesia and India, were generously bribed by Riyadh to undermine the Kuala Lumpur Islamic summit, was evident to those closely watching the twist of events in Malaysia, especially over the past few days.
It should be noted that last Monday, after his governing coalition, called the Alliance of Hope, collapsed under the weight of internal rivalries, Mahathir resigned, but King Abdullah quickly named him as Interim Prime Minister.
Then followed a series of political alignments, realignments and yet more realignments, with every half-day seeming to bring a new political reality. By Saturday (day before yesterday), when it appeared that the 94-year old Mahathir had succeeded in ironing out the differences amongst members of the Alliance of Hope – including Malay nationalists, Chinese reformists and Islamists – fully hopeful of becoming Prime Minister yet again, his hopes were dashed.
The constitutional king suddenly claimed that the majority of legislators in the parliament supported Muhyiddin’s candidacy for prime minister – without citing details, but obviously under pressures from far off Saudi Arabia.
Yesterday morning Mahathir quickly questioned the king’s about turn, and pointed out that his party had, in fact, rallied enough votes to support him in forming the government.
As King Abdullah went ahead with the swearing-in-ceremony for Muhyiddin at the national palace, without awaiting the vote in the Parliament which is to meet on March 9, Mahathir accused the incoming prime minister of betrayal, criticizing him for aligning, once again, with the pro-Saudi U.M.N.O.
He added that he would never partner with such a corrupt party even if it meant losing power. Mahathir has threatened a vote of no confidence against Muhyiddin at the upcoming parliament session, as most Malaysian legislators, themselves surprised at the weird developments in their country, are unwilling to totally count the experienced nonagenarian statesman out, even in his fairly advanced age.
Malaysia seems to have entered an uncertain phase, while the Americans and the Saudis are obviously happy, as was evident from the congratulatory cable to Muhydidin from Najib Razaq, who is being tried on various corruption-related charges as one of the most brazen lootings of national assets by a modern-day leader, in addition to receiving an accounted sum of ten million US dollars from Saudi Arabia.
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