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Malaysia’s ruling coalition in danger as Anwar Ibrahim says ‘former friends and traitors’ want to oust government

  • Factions from within the coalition and the main opposition party met at a hotel near Kuala Lumpur on Sunday to discuss new partnership
  • According to the constitution, anyone who has the support of 112 members in the 222-seat parliament can be appointed prime minister by the king

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Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysian prime minister-in-waiting, at a university symposium on Thursday. Photo: EPA
Amy Chew
Malaysia’s two-year-old ruling coalition is in grave danger of collapsing after senior party members from the government and opposition gathered at a hotel on Sunday in an attempt to form a new government.
Prime minister-in-waiting Anwar Ibrahim said colleagues from the ruling coalition Pakatan Harapan (PH) were seeking to prevent him succeeding Mahathir Mohamad as agreed.

“Right now, we’re waiting for information but we know there are attempts to bring down PH and form a new government,” Anwar said at a prayer ceremony at his home. “But we must remember that our gathering must continue as normal. We are here to pray to Allah, recite prayers, not because Anwar wants to be the eighth PM. Maybe the ninth.”

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad shakes hands with Anwar Ibrahim in Putrajaya, Malaysia. Photo: AP Photo
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad shakes hands with Anwar Ibrahim in Putrajaya, Malaysia. Photo: AP Photo

Speculation has been building for weeks that the opposition United Malays National Organisation (Umno) and Islamist Parti Islam se-Malaysia (PAS) have been preparing to join forces with Mahathir’s Malaysian United Indigenous Party (Bersatu) and a faction from Anwar’s People’s Justice Party (PKR) to form a new coalition.

Politicians involved in the purported new coalition want Mahathir to serve out the full five-year term as prime minister rather than hand over to Anwar, who has previously said Mahathir was not involved.

Anwar on Sunday referred to “former friends in Bersatu and a small faction of traitors from PKR”.

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