(Bloomberg) -- Malaysia’s Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin won a key parliamentary vote on Monday, showing he has the support of a slim majority of lawmakers.

Just 111 of 221 lawmakers present voted in favor of the premier’s motion to remove speaker Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof, who was appointed by the previous administration. One of the total 222 lawmakers wasn’t in attendance, while deputy speaker Mohd Rashid Hasnon abstained as he presided over the poll.

The vote cements Muhyiddin’s hold on parliament, putting to rest doubts over how much support he commands among lawmakers after his turbulent rise to power earlier this year. It was a question that has lingered since the king named him as premier to end the political turmoil set off by the abrupt resignation of Mahathir Mohamad. Malaysia’s uncertain political situation has been a sore spot for investors and credit rating companies alike.

Still, the minuscule margin suggests a rocky road ahead for Muhyiddin as he seeks to push through crucial policy changes. The government will need all its lawmakers present in parliament to maintain the majority needed to pass laws, including the temporary measures bill to counter the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and the 2021 budget in November.

Parliamentary approval is also required to breach the 55% of GDP statutory limit on government debt, which now stands at 52% as the country puts in motion 295 billion ringgit ($69 billion) of stimulus measures to weather the economic downturn.

The opposition coalition voted against the motion as the reason given -- that there was a new candidate for the speaker post -- was absurd, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said in parliament before the vote.

Former premier Mahathir concurred, adding, “the government wants to change the speaker because he doesn’t follow the government’s orders, but it’s not the speaker’s job to follow the government’s orders.”

(Updates with further detail throughout.)

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.