Kuala Lumpur, Aug 16 (IANS): The Malaysian cabinet led by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has tendered its resignation to the country's King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, a Minister said on Monday.

"The Cabinet has tendered its resignation to the Agong," Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said in a message on social media, referring to King Abdullah of Pahang.

The message was posted as Muhyiddin had an audience with King Abdullah earlier on Monday where he was widely believed to tender resignation after losing the majority in the lower house of Parliament.

"It has been an honour and a privilege to serve our beloved country and her people," Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein also said on social media.

Muhyiddin has been holding on to power with a slim majority since becoming Prime Minister in March last year.

He was facing a defeat in a potential vote of confidence after Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, president of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), a component of the ruling Muhyiddin coalition, announced withdrawing UMNO's support for the prime minister together with a number of UMNO parliamentarians.

Muhyiddin appealed to members of parliament (MPs) across party lines to support his government on August 13 with a number of reform promises and initiatives, but his proposal was rejected by the UMNO and opposition parties.