KUALA LUMPUR: Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is expected to announce the formation of a new political party at a press conference here, today.
The New Straits Times has learnt that the new party will be registered as Parti Bersatu Rakyat Malaysia.
Dr Mahathir was axed from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), a party he co-founded in late 2016.
Two weeks ago, the Bersatu ex-chairman hinted that he might form a new party were he to fail in his High Court suit challenging the nullification of his membership in the party.
On June 9, Dr Mahathir, his son Datuk Seri Mukhriz, Dr Maszlee Malik, Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah, Datuk Marzuki Yahya and the party itself filed the suit over the nullification of their membership in Bersatu, as the first to sixth plaintiffs.
They named Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is Bersatu president and acting chairman; party secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin; party executive secretary Captain (Rtd) Muhammad Suhaimi Yahya; and Registrar of Societies (RoS) director-general Masyati Abang Ibrahim as the first to fourth defendants.
Earlier today, Muhyiddin and the three defendants succeeded in their bid to strike out Dr Mahathir's suit.
In allowing Muhyiddin and the three defendants' application, High Court judge Datin Rohani Ismail ruled that Dr Mahathir and the other plaintiffs had no locus standi to bring legal action against them.