In the past month, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has struck back at two of his key nemeses by first removing Mr Mukhriz Mahathir from the post of Kedah Chief Minister, before suspending former Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin from the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO).

Both Mr Muhyiddin and Mr Mukhriz are seen to be aligned with former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is openly calling for Mr Najib’s resignation, ostensibly over alleged corruption and wrongdoing related to troubled state investment firm1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

The suspension of Mr Muhyiddin and the sacking of Mr Mukhriz do not signify an end of the Mahathir era, as some have argued.

Instead, these events have opened a new chapter in Malaysian politics that could pose a serious threat to Mr Najib.

… Mohamed Nawab Mohamed Osman is Coordinator of the Malaysia Programme at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) and Rashaad Ali is a Research Analyst at RSIS.