Anwar Ibrahim, longtime reformist leader sworn in as Malaysian Prime Minister

Kuala Lumpur, November 24th: Longtime opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was sworn in as Malaysia’s prime minister on Thursday.

broadcast live on national television, Anwar took the oath of office Thursday Evening with a brief ceremony at the National Palace. Malaysian King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah made 75-year-old Anwar the country’s 10th candidate after saying he was happy Anwar was the likely candidate to win majority support. appointed as the leader of

Anwar’s Alliance of Hope won 82 seats in Saturday’s elections, short of the 112 required for a majority. An unexpected surge in Malay support saw former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s right-wing National Alliance win 73 seats for him, with its ally the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party as the largest single party in his 49 seats. rose to prominence.

The stalemate was resolved after the long-term regime bloc, led by the United Malays National Organization, agreed to support a unity government under Anwar. Such an alliance was unthinkable in Malaysian politics, which has long been dominated by rivalries between the two political parties. Other influential groups in Borneo have said they will follow the king’s decision.

“His Highness reminds all parties that the winner does not win all and the loser does not lose all,” a palace statement read. urged humility to ensure a stable government and that all rival parties need to reconcile to end the political turmoil in Malaysia that has led to three prime ministers since a 2018 poll. The statement did not give details about the government to be formed.

Muhyiddin, 75, refuses to concede defeat. At a press conference, Muhyiddin demanded Anwar prove he had the support of a majority of parliamentarians to deflect doubts about his leadership. Police stepped up security across the country after social media posts warned of racial problems if Anwar’s multi-ethnic bloc were victorious. We are urging people to refrain from public gatherings and to make sensitive statements. Malaysia’s new Prime Minister Anwar vows to heal the divided nation and economy.

Anwar’s rise to the top will mark the end of his roller coaster political journey and ease fears about the spread of Islamization. But he faces the daunting task of bridging the deepening racial divide after Saturday’s poll and reviving an economy plagued by rising inflation and the weakest currency. It accounts for two-thirds of the population, including many ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities.

“He will have to compromise with other actors in government, which means the reform process will be more inclusive,” said Bridget Welsh, a political expert on Southeast Asia. . Seen as a bridge between communities, his leadership will be put to the test, but at the same time it will be a reassurance to the challenges facing Malaysia. “

Anwar was a former deputy prime minister who, after being dismissed and imprisoned in the 1990s, became a major political force with mass street protests and reform movements. Thursday marked his second win for his reformed bloc. Here is his historic 2018 poll that led to the first regime change since Malaysia’s independence from Britain in 1957.

Anwar was then incarcerated on politically motivated sodomy charges. He was pardoned and was to take over from Mahathir Mohamad. However, the government collapsed after Muhyiddin defected and formed a new government in partnership with UMNO.

Muhyiddin’s government was plagued by internal strife and resigned after 17 months. UMNO leader Ismail Sabri Yacoub was subsequently elected Prime Minister by the King. Fed up with corruption and infighting at UMNO, many rural Malays fear increased pluralism and loss of privileges under Anwar, and many voted in Saturday’s vote to vote for him. Chose Muhyiddin’s side.