KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Mahathir Mohamad said today that he will return as Malaysia’s prime minister if he has majority support from Parliament, as the king held a second day of consultations with lawmakers to resolve a political vacuum caused by the abrupt collapse of Mahathir’s ruling coalition.

Breaking his silence two days after his shocking resignation, Mahathir confirmed that his Bersatu party ditched the alliance Monday in a bid to form a new government with the United Malays National Organization, or UMNO, the party of disgraced ex-leader Najib Razak, who is on trial for corruption, and a fundamentalist Islamic party. The move had thwarted a pre-election agreement by Mahathir to hand over power to his named successor, Anwar Ibrahim.

Mahathir said he had quit to show he wasn’t power crazy and because he cannot work with the corrupt-tainted UMNO, which he had ousted in 2018 elections.

He made no mention of Anwar in his speech, but reiterated that the lower house of Parliament should be the one to pick the prime minister.

The world’s oldest leader at 94, Mahathir said he would form a new government that isn’t party-centric but one that prioritizes national interests if given a chance to helm the country again.

“If I really still have support, I will return. If not, I will accept whoever’s chosen,” he said in a televised message.

“I am not aiming to be popular,” he said. “I just want to do what is best for the country. … I believe, rightly or wrongly, politics and political parties must be set aside for now. If allowed, I will form an administration that does not side with any party. Only national interest will be prioritized.”

Mahathir spoke as the king completed a two-day consultation with all 222 lawmakers to determine who they support as prime minister or if they want fresh elections.

The king’s role is largely ceremonial in Malaysia, but he appoints the person with majority support in Parliament as prime minister.

The departure of 37 lawmakers, including 11 from Anwar’s party, deprived the governing Alliance of Hope of majority rule and sparked a crisis less than two years after its election victory ousted a corrupt-tainted coalition that had ruled for 61 years.