Long overshadowed by colorful contemporaries, the man who yesterday emerged from a week of turmoil as Malaysia’s new prime minister is a publicity-shy picture of conservatism.
When Muhyiddin Yassin, 72, heard news on Saturday that the king had picked him over 94-year-old Mahathir Mohamad, the outspoken leader who has dominated Malaysian politics for decades, he immediately dropped to the carpet in tears to give thanks to Allah.
“He is a very serious, boring man,” said one person who has worked with him for years and did not want to be identified because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
Photo: EPA-EFE
“Probably that is what Malaysia needs now rather than a camera-hunting, publicity-stunt type of man,” the person said.
A conservative Muslim from the majority Malay community, Muhyiddin staked his claim to the premiership when Mahathir failed to rally support for a unity government after his shock resignation as prime minister on Monday last week.
Muhyiddin is a Malay nationalist and he drew support from the former ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) and Islamist party PAS, who were defeated in 2018 by a multi-ethnic coalition under Mahathir that promised to fight corruption.
“I am a Malay first, I want to say that, but being Malay does not mean that you are not Malaysian,” Muhyiddin said in 2010.
Such sentiment struck a chord at a time of disaffection within the Malay majority over a perceived loss of privileges under Mahathir’s government.
“Like a good striker he saw the opening he did not expect, and took advantage to score,” Malaysian lawyer Zaid Ibrahim said about the low-profile Muhyiddin, who was minister of home affairs under Mahathir.
Mahathir and Muhyiddin were from the same Bersatu party and the former prime minister said that he felt betrayed by a man he accused of plotting with UMNO to bring it back, despite the corruption charges now facing some of its top officials.
“Muhyiddin is willing to accept anything. He says politics is more important than principles,” Mahathir said, vowing to call for a session of parliament to test whether Muhyiddin had a majority.
Muhyiddin did not immediately respond to the accusations.
After Muhyiddin was sworn in, his office said that he would not be speaking to media that day.
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