Malaysia election 2022: Anwar optimistic as PM job ‘still vacant’; Muhyiddin rejects king’s unity government plan

Rivals Muhyiddin Yassin and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim are counting on kingmaker Barisan Nasional’s support to secure 112 seats for a simple majority

While the king’s role is largely ceremonial, Sultan Abdullah’s seal of approval is required for key appointments, including that of Malaysia’s PM

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Key players from all sides have said they will leave it to the Malaysian king to decide who is most likely to command the confidence of parliament as PM. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 1:31pm, 22 Nov 2022Updated: 8:27pm, 22 Nov 2022

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As has been the case more than once in the last few years, Malaysia now turns to its constitutional monarch, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, for a way forward following its post-election impasse.

A new prime minister has yet to be appointed more than 48 hours after Saturday’s knife-edge general election with none of the major coalitions having won a simple majority – and none seemingly able to outrightly build an alliance to have the backing of 112 MPs.

Rivals Muhyiddin Yassin, a former prime minister, and the long-time reformist opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim are the front runners to become prime minister given that their respective blocs won the highest number of seats.

Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan grouping has 82 seats and Muhyiddin’s bloc has 73 in the 222-seat lower house of parliament, known as the Dewan Rakyat.

The country’s once-powerful Barisan Nasional alliance, the governing alliance for 61 years until 2018, is set to play a kingmaker role as whoever it backs will form the next administration.