Former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was sworn in as Malaysia’s tenth prime minister (PM) on Thursday, the culmination of a three-decade-long political career.
Hours after being appointed PM by King Al-Sultan Abdullah following an election that resulted in a hung parliament situation, Anwar, 75, told reporters that his election to the post was “a change that has awaited the people of Malaysia.”
Anwar, Malaysia’s fourth PM in as four years, has vowed to give up his salary, tackle corruption, revitalise the weakening economy, defend the special rights of ethnic Malays, and uphold Islam as the multicultural country’s official religion.
“We will never compromise on good governance, the anti-corruption drive, judicial independence and the welfare of ordinary Malaysians,” he declared.
Regarding his foreign policy vision, he said, “China is an important neighbour, of course, it’s a priority to enhance bilateral relations with China, trade, investment and cultural,”
“I would not just leave [ties with China] as it is, but need to be enhanced,” he asserted.
Although the situation created by the inconclusive election has been resolved, further instability can not be ruled out in the politically volatile country just yet, as Anwar’s rival, former PM Muhyiddin Yassin, has challenged the new leader to prove his majority in parliament.
Thank you PM @narendramodi. India is an important partner for Malaysia. I'm looking forward to working closely with you to strengthen ties and cooperation in various areas including trade, investment and culture. https://t.co/XDQSux73sp
— Anwar Ibrahim (@anwaribrahim) November 25, 2022
However, during his first press briefing, Anwar underscored that there is “no question about my legitimacy.”
He elaborated that he would form his coalition government by grouping together his Pakatan Harapan coalition, which won 82 seats, the National Front, which secured 30 seats, and another bloc from Sarawak state that won 23 seats. This would allow him a clear majority of 135 seats, the leader said, adding that other smaller blocs will also be welcome to join.
He also announced that his government will introduce a vote of confidence when Parliament reconvenes on December 19.
While both Anwar and Muhyiddin’s coalitions failed to secure a clear majority, the constitutional monarch decided on Anwar for the position after consulting with several lawmakers. He also requested that the new government remain stable.
“The people should not be burdened with endless political turmoil. The country needs a stable government to stimulate the economic landscape and for development,” the King said.
Congratulations to the people of Malaysia on their national elections and to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. We look forward to strengthening our comprehensive partnership and advancing a more sustainable, secure, inclusive, and prosperous Malaysia and Indo-Pacific.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) November 24, 2022
“Those who have won, have not won everything and those who have lost, have not completely lost ... I ask that you stand together for our beloved country,” he further urged.
Anwar has pursued the country’s highest office for several years now and has spent close to a decade in jail in the process. He served as deputy PM in the 1990s and was in line to replace Mahathir Mohamed. However, the pair had a falling out over the handling of the Asian financial crisis that then led to him being jailed on corruption and sodomy charges in 1999. The verdict was overturned in 2004, resulting in his release. He was then tried once again in 2010 and 2012 but was acquitted in 2012. The acquittal was overturned in 2014, following which he was put behind bars for another five years the next year; however, he was given a royal pardon in 2018. Anwar claims the charges were politically motivated charges aimed to cut short his career.
On the topic, he said during his oath-taking ceremony that he had been forced to wait 24 years to become PM.
His election to the post comes after the country’s 15th general election (GE15) failed to produce a clear winner, prompting competing parties to scramble for support to broaden their coalition and secure a majority.
In the closely contested election, whose results were announced on Sunday, Anwar’s People’s Justice Party led-alliance secured the highest number of parliamentary seats, with 82 out of 220. However, he fell far short of a clear majority, which requires a minimum of 111 seats.
No MPs from GPS or GRS were spotted during the Perikatan Nasional (PN) press conference being chaired by @MuhyiddinYassin.
— TheVibes.com (@thevibesnews) November 24, 2022
Meanwhile, Muhyiddin’s Perikatan Nasional (PN), which leads the country’s Malay movement, trailed close behind with 73 seats.
The Malaysian police force had tightened security measures across the country due to fears of racial troubles, as Anwar leads a multiethnic bloc. His party also urged supporters to refrain from holding celebratory gatherings to avoid provoking violence.
“Malaysia is more than six decades old. Every Malaysian regardless of ethnicity, religious belief or region, particularly Sabah and Sarawak, should not be left to feel that they are ignored in any way. None should be marginalized under my administration,” the new PM said.
Apart from his push to rid the country of corruption, Anwar has also promised to tackle racism and religious bigotry. In contrast, Muhyiddin’s coalition generated fears among ethnic Chinese and Indian communities due to its inclusion of Islamist party PAS. In fact, Muhyiddin claimed while campaigning that Anwar was working with Jews and Christians to “Christianise” the country, to which Anwar replied that the former PM was using “racial propaganda to divide the plural reality in Malaysia.”
Malaysia has been plagued with severe political instability in recent years, witnessing four administration changes since 2018, when Mahathir, who led the country from 1981 to 2003, briefly returned to power in 2018 after breaking UMNO’s stranglehold on power with his Pakatan Harapan coalition.
Muhyiddin, too, was forced to resign after a tumultuous 17 months in office after allied parties withdrew their support, paving the way for Ismail Sabri to enter the office until he dissolved the parliament in October and called for fresh elections in a bid to widen UMNO’s lead.