Malaysian politician Anwar Ibrahim waves as he leaves a hotel in Kuala Lumpur on Feb. 29, 2020. Photo: AFP Kuala Lumpur (VNA) - The Malaysian politics saw estalating tension on September 23 when opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said he hassecured a ‘formidable’ majority from lawmakers to form a new government.
However, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin affirmed that he is still thelegal leader of the Southeast Asian country.
“Wehave a strong, formidable majority,” Anwar told reporters, adding he commandedsupport from close to two-thirds of the legislature’s 222 lawmakers, withoutgiving actual numbers or disclosing who had pledged support.
According to Malaysia’sconstitution, to form a new government, Anwar must meet with the king, SultanAbdullah, who plays a largely ceremonial role in Malaysia but could appoint aprime minister who in his view is likely to command a majority in parliament.
Anwar said he was scheduled to meet with the king on September22 but it had to be cancelled as the king was unwell and had to be taken to ahospital.
Analysts said elections are more likely to end the politicaluncertainty.
Muhyiddincame to power in March after securing a majority with the support of UMNO,which was defeated in the 2018 election.
Anwar, 73, has had a tumultuous political career. At first a rising star ofMalaysian politics and UMNO, he was jailed for sodomy and corruption afterbeing fired as deputy prime minister by Mahathir in 1998./.
VNA
