KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will go to the polls when the coronavirus pandemic is over, the prime minister said Saturday, two days after winning lawmakers' backing for his government's 2021 budget.

Muhyiddin Yassin took power in March after pulling his party from Anwar Ibrahim's ruling coalition to ally with the scandal-tainted United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) and others. Since then, his administration has been hobbled by constant infighting.

In a speech at a virtual annual general meeting of his Bersatu party on Saturday, he expressed confidence that his ruling alliance would win voters' backing at the next election.

"God willing, if it is allowed by Allah, when the coronavirus pandemic is over, we will hold the general elections," he said, adding that "we will seek the people's mandate and let voters decide the government of their choice". He did not elaborate.

The prime minister -- who maintains a razor-thin majority -- also said he had a "heart-to-heart meeting" with UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to thrash out any differences between the uneasy allies.—AFP