Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said he presented the nation’s king on Tuesday with evidence that he has enough support among lawmakers to topple the prime minister and form a new government, an assertion the palace denied.
Anwar said he presented the monarch with evidence of the support he has from over 120 lawmakers, which would allow him to unseat Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
Anwar said the monarch pledged to abide by the constitution, and would consult leaders from other parties before making a decision. He declined to give details, urging Malaysians to be patient and give the king space to review the evidence.
“These documents made it abundantly clear that we have registered a formidable and convincing majority among parliamentarians,” Anwar told a news conference after the royal meeting.
“Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has lost his majority and therefore, it would be appropriate for him to resign.”
After that news conference, however, the palace released a statement denying that Anwar provided evidence of support. It said Anwar only told Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah how many lawmakers supported him but didn’t reveal their identities.
It said the king advised Anwar “to abide by and respect the legal process” based on the constitution.
Muhyiddin, who took power in March after securing enough support in Parliament to unseat Anwar’s reformist alliance, has previously dismissed Anwar’s claim to a majority.
Muhyiddin currently boasts a slim two-seat majority in the 222-seat Parliament and has been grappling to maintain support amid infighting in his coalition.