Even by the standards of Malaysia's often unpredictable politics, this was shocking. After three days of backroom jostling among Malaysia's political elite, 94-year-old Mahathir Mohamad announced his resignation as prime minister on Monday as well as quitting as chairman of his party, Bersatu. 

But Mahathir, the interim prime minister while attempts are made to form a new government, could be a three-time prime minister within days. 

First, though, to try to make sense of how this all came about. 

Tensions had been rising in People's Justice Party (PKR), the biggest party in the ruling Pakatan Harapan alliance, for months. Mahathir had vowed to hand over power after two years to PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim. But as the time approached, he amended the date to some time after Malaysia hosted the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in November. 

Anwar's supporters in the alliance wanted Mahathir to agree to a firm date. But a faction within Anwar's party tried to persuade Mahathir to stay on for the entire term, by which time he would be nearly 98. And, bizarrely, the main opposition parties, former-ruling party of 60 years UMNO, and the Islamist party PAS, suddenly started professing their support for Mahathir staying on for a full term as well. 

Events came to a head over the weekend. On Friday night, several party bigwigs in the ruling alliance pushed Mahathir to commit to a date to hand over to Anwar. Mahathir declined to do so. Anwar seemed to grudgingly accept the decision.  

But on Sunday, several key members of Mahathir's ruling coalition held meetings with the opposition parties in an apparent attempt to form a new alliance that would cut out Anwar's faction and other parties, including the mostly ethnic-Chinese Democratic Action party. 

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It seems though that Mahathir, while possibly supporting the move to thwart Anwar's political ambitions, would not consider linking up with his former allies in UMNO, whom he worked so hard to oust in the wake of the 1MDB corruption scandal. And hence, on Monday he resigned. His party and 11 MPs from Anwar's party quickly announced they were leaving the ruling Pakatan Harapan alliance, seemingly stripping it of its majority. 

"I think Dr. Mahathir was trying to use UMNO and PAS as in a sense a boogeymen to try to stave off Anwar Ibrahim's incessant quest for succession. But of course sometimes things get out of hand," said Oh Ei Sun, senior fellow of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs. 

Malaysia's king appointed Mahathir as interim prime minister while efforts were made to form a new government. And in an unprecedented move, the king said he would individually interview all 221 members of the Malaysian parliament to determine who they support to be prime minister. 

While some in his Pakatan Harapan alliance might prefer Anwar, they all now fear losing power entirely and so have been pleading with Mahathir to stay on.  
In other words, his allies in Pakatan Harapan, his party who have left the alliance, the rebels who abandoned Anwar's party, and the main opposition parties all appear to want Mahathir to remain as prime minister. 

"Dr. Mahathir has made a very daring move by resigning as prime minister of Malaysia but by doing so he actually consolidated his grip on power," said Oh Ei Sun.

"Both sides of the political divide would like to stay on as prime minster. So without him and perhaps his faction both sides of the Malaysian political divide could not form a majority to form a new government." 

"Really the point is that Mahathir is still very much in the driver's seat," said Keith Leong, a senior political analyst with KRA Group. "He can choose his future coalition partners, he can choose who he wants to govern the country with, that is assuming he wants to continue as prime minister. The other option as well would be to remain in place while parliament is dissolved and fresh elections could be called." 

Were he to agree to head a government comprising the party he founded, Bersatu, with UMNO and the Islamist PAS, it would be a virtually mono-ethnic Malay Muslim government in a country where around one-third of people are from ethnic minorities, the biggest being Chinese and Indian. And it would mean linking up with politicians and a party tainted by ongoing corruption trials. 

Oh Ei Sun believed the chances were Mahathir would form a government with the bulk of his Pakatan Harapan alliance, though likely without some of the rebels, and possibly including members of other parties.  

Since events started to unfold Sunday, Pakatan Harapan supporters have been expressing their outrage at what they see as a gross betrayal by some of the politicians they voted for. Most of their ire has been directed at the 11 members of parliament who left Anwar's party, especially his former protégé Azmin Ali, who has been branded a traitor.  

On the other side of the political divide, supporters of UMNO and PAS have been relishing the prospect of replacing Pakatan Harapan. Much of their anger seems motivated by the fact that so many people in key positions in the government have been non-Malays, including the finance minister and attorney general. 

But it may well be that their gloating at the apparent demise of the Pakatan Harapan government and a move to more Malay-centric rule will be thwarted and that Mahathir will fulfill his promise to lead a reform agenda with a multi-racial alliance that calls itself Pakatan Harapan – Alliance of Hope.