Malaysian Opposition Leader Scraps Plan to Step Down From Role

(Bloomberg) -- Malaysian opposition leader Muhyiddin Yassin said he will stand in elections for his party’s presidency in upcoming internal polls, reversing a decision he made the previous day to step down from the role.

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The former prime minister told his Bersatu party Saturday he had changed his mind after his wife urged him to “stay another term” and not disappoint his colleagues. This was after Bersatu’s top leaders on Friday rejected Muhyiddin’s initial decision to relinquish the position.

Muhyiddin heads the wider Malay-majority opposition bloc Perikatan Nasional, which made significant inroads into the ruling coalition’s majority during provincial polls in August, as well as in last year’s nationwide vote. His absence from the party leadership could potentially risk weakening opposition to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Read more: Malaysia’s Anwar Faces Hard Choices as Popularity Dips

“Because of the kind wishes of party members and fellow party leaders, I have decided to offer myself to contest for the party presidency when the time comes,” Muhyiddin said in his speech at the Bersatu annual general meeting Saturday.

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