Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim yesterday said that he had presented the names of lawmakers who support him to the king, who would determine whether he has enough support to form a new government.
Anwar said that he had the backing of more than 120 lawmakers in the 222-member parliament, adding that Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had lost his majority and should resign.
He urged everyone to allow the monarch to carry out his duties.
Photo: Reuters
“With these documents, it is abundantly clear that we have registered a formidable, convincing majority among parliamentarians,” Anwar said.
The king assured him that he would respect the constitution and the issue of a snap election did not arise, Anwar added.
Anwar last month said that he commanded enough support to oust Muhyiddin, who took power in March with a margin of only a handful of votes after another coalition government collapsed.
The Malaysian government has said that the move would fail.
Anwar yesterday reiterated his commitment to institutional reform, judicial independence and the rule of law.
“There’s no question about cutting deals with individuals as alleged by some quarters,” he said.
The palace disputed Anwar’s assertion he had provided names during their meeting.
Anwar had presented the king with the number of lawmakers that he claimed supported him during their meeting that lasted about 25 minutes, Comptroller of the Royal Household Indera Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin said in a statement.
“However, he did not provide the list of names of lawmakers supporting him to strengthen that claim,” Indera said.
The king has several options if he is convinced that Anwar has the backing of a majority in parliament, including a dissolution of parliament, ordering a confidence vote or appointing him as the new prime minister.
The monarch played a key role in interviewing lawmakers in February after former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad resigned, triggering the instability that has gripped the nation.
“Frankly, I do not think it will be a smooth and easy ride for Anwar,” said Oh Ei Sun, senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs.
It is unlikely Anwar would succeed as the government would have used its resources to lure back defectors since Anwar first staked his claim to power three weeks ago, he said.
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