GEORGE TOWN, Feb 24 — Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said he supported Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to return as the prime minister of the Pakatan Harapan administration.

The Penang state assemblyman and Tanjung MP said his state administration fully supported Dr Mahathir.

Chow, who is Penang DAP and Penang PH chairman, said the people’s mandate in the 14th General Election must be respected by all parties.

"Following the political developments at the federal level, the Penang state government is still committed to PH and will continue to shoulder its responsibility in governing Penang as decided by the people in the 14th General Election,” he said in a brief statement today.

The political turmoil in Putrajaya with rumours of a coup and a new government taking over has gripped the nation since yesterday, causing a dip in the stock market and weakened the ringgit today.

Dr Mahathir has handed in his resignation as the seventh Prime Minister and the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah accepted the resignation.

Chief Secretary to the Government Datuk Seri Mohd Zuki Ali announced that Dr Mahathir has been appointed as the interim PM to manage the country’s administration until a successor is found and a new Cabinet is formed.