Muhyiddin Yassin, former Malaysian deputy prime minister, was appointed as the new prime minister, according to the Malaysian Palace on Saturday.

Muhyiddin will be sworn in on Sunday, royal officials said, after a week of turmoil that followed the collapse of a reformist government and Mahathir Mohamad's resignation as prime minister.

"The process to appoint the prime minister cannot be delayed because the country needs a government for the well-being of the people and the nation," the palace statement said. The king appoints the country's premier. 

As well as ending the premiership of Mahathir, at 94 the world's oldest leader, it also means there will be little hope of his designated successor Anwar Ibrahim becoming prime minister. 

The crisis began when Mahathir and Anwar's ruling "Pact of Hope" alliance, which stormed to a historic victory in 2018 against a corrupt administration, collapsed a week ago.

"I only ask for all Malaysians to accept the decision announced by the national palace," Muhyiddin told reporters at his home. 

There was no immediate reaction from Mahathir or Anwar.

Muhyiddin, 72, had the backing of the former ruling party United Malays National Organization (UMNO), that was driven from power after six decades by the Pakatan Harapan alliance of Mahathir and Anwar on an anti-corruption platform. 

Former UNMO prime minister Najib Razak is on trial for corruption. 

But UNMO's fortunes have risen since its 2018 defeat, with the Pakatan coalition losing five by-elections in the face of criticism from some Malay voters that it should do more to favor the country's biggest ethnic group of 32 million. 

Muhyiddin also had the backing of Islamist party PAS. 

UMNO, which Mahathir led from 1981 to 2003 during a previous stint as prime minister, supports Malay nationalism.

(With input from Reuters, AFP)