It seeks to strengthen governance, combat corruption, and rid the country of racism and religious intolerance
Malaysian Anwar Ibrahim as Prime Minister after decades of waiting
Anwar Ibrahim among his supporters after he was appointed to the new position.
Reuters
Anwar Ibrahim takes the constitutional oath before King Sultan Abdullah.
Reuters
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Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim was sworn in as prime minister on Thursday, marking the culmination of a three-decade political journey from loyal follower of veteran leader Mahathir Mohamad to protest leader, prisoner and opposition leader.
His appointment ends five days that witnessed an unprecedented crisis in the country after the last elections. However, this appointment may be the beginning of a new state of instability, as his rival, former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, challenges him to prove that he has a majority in Parliament.
Neither of them got a majority in Saturday's election, but the constitutional ruler, King Sultan Abdullah, appointed Anwar after consultations with several members of parliament.
Anwar takes over at a challenging time.
The economy is sluggish, and the country is divided, after elections that witnessed intense competition between Anwar's progressive alliance and Muhyiddin's conservative alliance, which includes only Muslims of the Malay race.
Positive interaction
The markets reacted positively to the end of the political crisis, and the ringgit currency recorded the best daily performance in two weeks, and stocks increased 3%.
Anwar, 75, was repeatedly denied access to the prime minister, despite his closeness to the position over the years. He previously held the position of deputy prime minister in the nineties, and was the expected prime minister in 2018.
Between this and that, he spent nearly a decade in prison accused of sodomy and corruption, accusations he maintained were politically motivated and aimed at ending his political career.
The uncertainty that followed the election threatened to prolong political instability in the Southeast Asian country, which has seen three successive prime ministers in office in three years, and to delay policy decisions needed to encourage economic recovery.
Anwar's supporters expressed the hope that his government would be able to prevent the return of historical tension between the Muslim majority, who belong to the Malay race, and the Chinese and Indian ethnic minorities.
Governance and anti-corruption
Anwar told Reuters in an interview before the elections that, if appointed as prime minister, he would seek to "strengthen governance, fight corruption, and rid the country of racism and religious fanaticism."
His alliance, known as Pakatan Harapan (Coalition of Hope), won the largest number of seats in Saturday's elections, with 82 seats, compared to 73 for Muhyiddin's Perikatan Nasional (National League) bloc, but the two parties did not achieve the majority that would qualify them to form the government. by obtaining 112 seats.
The long-ruling Barisan (National Front) bloc won just 30 seats, in the worst electoral performance of the alliance that has dominated politics since independence in 1957.
On Thursday, Barisan announced that it would not support a government led by Muhyiddin, but it did not mention Anwar.
After Anwar was appointed, Muhyiddin asked him to prove his majority in Parliament.
The king intervened to appoint the prime minister after Anwar and Muhyiddin exceeded a deadline that expired last Tuesday afternoon to form an alliance to take power.
Priority to the high cost of living
And the new prime minister said yesterday that his main focus will be on dealing with the high cost of living, after he was sworn in as prime minister yesterday, Thursday, adding that his main focus is the economy, and that he will form a smaller government than previous administrations.
"My priority now is to deal with the rising cost of living," he said in a press conference after arriving at the prime minister's office.
Anwar has not yet announced any names in his coalition government, and had earlier indicated that he would appoint two deputies to his cabinet, one from the former ruling Barisan (National Front) coalition, and the other from smaller political blocs in the Malaysian part of Borneo.
His appointment ended an unprecedented five-day crisis following the election.
His opponent, former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, had refused to concede defeat, challenging Anwar to prove his majority in Parliament, but Muhyiddin said yesterday that he had accepted Anwar's appointment, and that his bloc would play the role of opposition.
The constitutional ruler, King Sultan Abdullah, defused the crisis by appointing Anwar after consultations with various politicians.
Anwar takes office at a challenging time, when the economy is slowing and the country is divided, after a closely contested election.
Anwar, 75, was repeatedly denied access to the prime minister, despite his closeness to the position over the years. He previously held the position of deputy prime minister in the nineties, and was the expected prime minister in 2018.
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