Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, 92, yesterday met with the king and has been invited to form a government, quelling concerns about succession after a stunning win over the coalition that has ruled for six decades.
Mahathir’s opposition alliance scored a shock victory at the polls to break the grip on power of the Barisan Nasional coalition, which has governed Malaysia uninterrupted since its inception as an independent country in 1957.
It capped a dramatic comeback for Mahathir, who ruled the country with an iron fist for 22 years and came out of retirement to take on former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak, who became embroiled in a massive corruption scandal.
Photo: AP
Mahathir and his wife, Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, were driven into the national palace in Kuala Lumpur for an audience with the king, passing hundreds of supporters waving flags and chanting the national anthem.
Mohamad Azlan Shah, a member of Mahathir’s party in the crowd, said he was “very proud.”
“Our struggle to change Malaysian politics is not wasted. We believe Mahathir can make a change,” he told reporters.
One of the most remarkable aspects of Mahathir’s comeback has been his reconciliation with jailed opposition icon Anwar Ibrahim, his former nemesis, a relationship that has loomed large over the Malaysian political landscape for decades.
Anwar was Mahathir’s heir apparent until he was dismissed in 1998 over political differences, and he was subsequently jailed on charges of sodomy and abuse of power that were widely seen as trumped-up.
Anwar was jailed again during Najib’s rule, but he is due out next month — and Mahathir has promised to secure him a royal pardon, allowing him to run for office again and potentially become prime minister.
As it became clear that Barisan Nasional was facing a historic wipeout, Najib kept a low profile before surfacing yesterday morning to tell a news conference that he accepted the people’s will, although he stopped short of conceding defeat.
His comments were slammed by one analyst as “unstatesmanlike.”
The opposition’s shock victory triggered euphoria and a sense of relief that a leader who was accused of massive graft and fanning racial tensions in the multi-ethnic country was finally on his way out.
“We have been waiting for so long for this to happen,” said 35-year-old Larson Michael, a voter from just outside Kuala Lumpur. “[Mahathir] has come back to help us regain the country. Now we want to see if he will fulfill his promises.”
The initial excitement at the opposition victory will likely give way to some apprehension.
Mahathir was also accused of being an authoritarian leader and political opponents were thrown in jail during his time in office.
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College