In a statement, Istana Negara announced Muhyiddin’s resignation. This comes following his audience with the Yang-di Pertuan Agong, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah which lasted just around 30 minutes.

He will, however, stay as caretaker prime minister until his successor is appointed, the statement said.

“His majesty accepted the letter of resignation from the honourable Tan Sri Muhyiddin bin Md Yassin as prime minister and that of the entire cabinet with immediate effect.”

“His Majesty also expressed his appreciation to Tan Sri Muhyiddin bin Md Yassin and the cabinet for their service under the Perikatan Nasional government beginning March 1 2020, especially in combating the Covid-19 pandemic,” the statement read.

The King also said that following a recent briefing with the Election Commission, it was concluded that a general election would not be advisable given the nation’s battle with the Covid-19 pandemic.

Muhyiddin’s resignation comes after the opposition and Umno spurned his overtures that were offered in a televised address on Friday – including bipartisan cooperation – in what has been described as a last-ditch effort to keep his administration afloat.

It also comes weeks before he was supposed to table a confidence motion in the Dewan Rakyat to test his majority, following claims that he did not have the support.

Earlier in the day, vaccination minister Khairy Jamaluddin revealed on Instagram that the Cabinet had also tendered its resignation to the King.

Calls for Muhyiddin to step down had been growing louder in recent weeks, especially in the wake of the fiasco over the revocation of the emergency ordinances.

Muhyiddin was sworn in as the country’s eighth prime minister on March 1, 2020, following the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government the month before.

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