Malaysian PM aims to calm row with king and opposition after protests

Malaysia's under-pressure Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin appeared to back down on Tuesday amid a row with the king over ending emergency rule that has threatened to bring down his administration.

Muhyiddin said the revoking of decrees announced during emergency rule "could not be completed," reversing his claim made last week that the process had been finalized with the approval of King Abdullah.

While the king's role is largely ceremonial, his consent is needed for anything to do with emergency rules. 

Abdullah accused Muhyiddin on Thursday of breaking protocol by not getting his sign-off on revoking the measures. Muhyiddin insisted he followed the rules.

Abdullah had earlier turned down Muhyiddin's request to extend emergency rule, saying Malaysia's parliament, which was suspended as part of the state of emergency, should decide.

Opposition leaders have demanded the prime minister quit, accusing him of violating the constitution by "disobeying" the king and "disregarding" parliament, according to a statement on Tuesday, a day after they staged a protest in Kuala Lumpur against the government.

Emergency rule was imposed, along with a second lockdown, in January.

The opposition said the emergency, which allowed Muhyiddin's government to rule by decree, was not needed as pandemic restrictions were implemented separately. 

Over 17,000 new coronavirus cases were announced by the Health Ministry on Tuesday, over four times as many as when a third "total" lockdown was imposed in May.

The apparent failure of the curbs has heightened pressure on Muhyiddin, with the biggest party in his cabinet meeting on Tuesday to decide on staying in government after some of its leaders echoed the calls for the premier to resign.

Muhyiddin has governed with a razor-thin majority and led an unstable ruling coalition since coming to power in March 2020.

He has been under mounting pressure to quit after Malaysia's king last week issued a rare rebuke of a government move to revoke emergency laws without his approval, an act the palace said was against the constitution.

Some allies have accused Muhyiddin of treason, while opposition lawmakers have urged him to step down for disrespecting the king. Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy and the king is revered across the country's multi-ethnic population.

"Muhyiddin must take responsibility for the failure and defiance of his government that contradicted the king's decree by resigning as PM with honour," Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, president of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) party, said in a statement.

UMNO is the biggest bloc in Muhyiddin's ruling alliance. Some of its lawmakers have sent a letter to the king to show they have withdrawn support for Muhyiddin and that he has lost his majority, the statement said.

The party is split on its support for Muhyiddin, however. Last month, UMNO said it had pulled support for Muhyiddin but its cabinet ministers did not quit.

Deputy Prime Minister and UMNO politician Ismail Sabri Yaakob last week said he supported Muhyiddin and the government had the support of 110 of Malaysia's 222 parliamentarians.

Earlier on Tuesday, Muhyiddin said his cabinet would discuss holding a debate in parliament to repeal laws imposed during emergency rule, which was in place from January until August 1 to help curb the spread of Covid-19.

The debate could be held during a scheduled parliamentary session in September, Muhyiddin said in a statement.