Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad resigned on Monday for his post. This is a shock move after his political allies sought to form a new coalition in a bit to block the succession of leader in waiting Anwar Ibrahim.

Mahathir had made a pre-election pledge to hand power to Anwar but has repeatedly refused to fix a date. With the ruling coalition’s fate still uncertain on Monday morning, Mahathir office made the surprise announcement that he had sent a resignation letter as Prime Minister of Malaysia to the King at 1 pm. No reasons were given. Anwar’s rivals within his own pact of hope coalition which stormed to historic election victory in 2018 and opposition politicians to form a new Government.