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☆ Malaysia ex-PM Mahathir loses seat in first election defeat in 53 years
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 (Reuters) - Malaysia's veteran leader Mahathir Mohamad suffered his first election defeat in 53 years on Saturday in a blow that could mark the end of a seven-decade political career. Mahathir, 97, who served as Malaysia's prime minister for more than two decades in two stints, failed to retain his parliamentary seat in the Langkawi island constituency, coming in fourth in a five-cornered fight. The seat was won by Mohd Suhaimi Abdullah, a candidate from the Perikatan alliance, which is led by another former prime minister, Muhyiddin Yassin. It was Mahathir's first election loss since 1969. Mahathir leads a coalition that has vowed to take down the incumbent Barisan Nasional government over corruption allegations.

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 (Reuters) - A new coalition led by former Malaysian prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin was leading a hotly contested general election on Saturday, with opposition chief Anwar Ibrahim a close second, early results from the Election Commission showed. The other main contender - Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob's ruling Barisan Nasional coalition - was losing ground in traditional strongholds to Muhyiddin's bloc, the results showed. As of 1630 GMT, the Election Commission had announced results for 123 of the 222 parliamentary seats. [1/6] Malaysian Caretaker Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob stands in a line to vote during Malaysia's 15th general election in Bera, Pahang, Malaysia November 19, 2022. The top issues are the economy, along with corruption, as several leaders from the Barisan Nasional coalition face graft accusations.

☆ Factbox: How Malaysia's election system works
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-19 | by ( Mei Mei Chu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The general election is held every five years unless the prime minister calls for an early poll. The Election Commission typically declares the results on the day of the election and the prime minister is sworn in the next day. THE VOTERSOver 21 million Malaysians are eligible to vote in this election, including 6 million new voters. But UMNO returned to power in 2020 as part of another alliance after the opposition coalition collapsed. It won the 2018 election under the leadership of former premier Mahathir Mohamad but lost power two years later due to infighting.

☆ It's time for Malaysia to move on from the Mahathir era: UMNO
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailIt's time for Malaysia to move on from the Mahathir era: UMNOShahril Hamdan of UMNO responds to former Prime Minister Mahathir's previous comments on corruption in the country's politics and says he's "not at all denying that there are issues around integrity in our political system."

☆ Ahead of Malaysia's elections, political rivals battle over corruption and 1MDB scandal
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Su-Lin Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

watch nowMalaysia's nationalist UMNO party said its rivals are driving a "campaign of fear" against the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition in the lead-up to Saturday's elections and this could cost Malaysians. UMNO is part of the Barisan Nasional coalition. "I'm not at all denying that there are issues around integrity in our political system and this applies to all political parties." Corruption allegations against Najib led to the the long-standing ruling coalition Barisan Nasional being ousted from power in the last election in 2018, ending its 60-year political dominance in the Southeast Asian country. "Top leaders in our party are still facing court cases; now could you have said that for the time when Mahathir was prime minister?

☆ Malaysia's upcoming election is poised to be a battleground of uncertainty
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Su-Lin Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Four years ago, opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan swept Barisan Nasional — the ruling coalition at that time — out of power for the first time in 60 years. Then chairman and second-time prime minister Mahathir Mohamad resigned after 22 months in office and the coalition fell apart. Malaysia's political crisis has paved the way for a smorgasbord of parties and coalitions contesting the general election on Nov. 19. Perikatan gained notoriety after it was formed in 2020 following the defection of members from Pakatan Harapan. Anwar Ibrahim is looking to become prime minister after being denied the leadership for over two decades.

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Anwar Ibrahim has ramped up campaigning this week to be Malaysia's prime minister, buoyed by polls putting the veteran opposition leader ahead in a closely fought contest. Rival alliances, including those run by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and former premier Muhyiddin Yassin, could come together to clinch the required numbers and deny Anwar the top job. "This election is not about changing the prime minister," Anwar said in an address on Thursday. "This election is the best chance to save the country and make sweeping changes to restore our beloved nation." In an interview with Reuters this month, Anwar ruled out working with Ismail and Muhyiddin's coalitions, citing "fundamental differences" over race and religion.

[1/5] Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad speaks during an interview with Reuters in Putrajaya, Malaysia November 8, 2022. In what he said would likely be his final election foray, Mahathir vowed to fight "against bad Malays, criminal Malays… against the Malays who had destroyed this country." "We don't agree that any one person should, even before the results come in, claim that he is the candidate for prime minister," Mahathir said. He was pardoned in 2018 after the election win that removed UMNO from power for the first time in Malaysia's post-colonial history. The nonagenarian said he had no desire to be prime minister but would do so if asked to serve again.

TAMBUN, Malaysia, Nov 7 (Reuters) - After two decades as opposition leader, Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim was poised to finally become prime minister in 2020. There are several other parties in the running, including one founded by another former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, a factor that is expected to split the votes more than ever before. Mahathir became prime minister and promised to hand over power to Anwar in two years. Anwar's wife took over as deputy prime minister, but the coalition collapsed in 22 months due to infighting over the transition. Muhyiddin briefly became prime minister but Barisan came back to power in 2021 with Ismail at the helm as part of another alliance.

[1/5] The supporters of The National Front coalition, Barisan Nasional, shout slogans outside a nomination centre on nomination day in Bera, Pahang, Malaysia November 5, 2022. REUTERS/Lai Seng SinKUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 (Reuters) - Malaysian political leaders began their election campaigning on Saturday for what is set to be a close race, with incumbent Prime Minister Ismail Sabri facing off with veterans Anwar Ibrahim and Muhyiddin Yassin. The election comes as the Malaysian economy is expected to ease due to a global slowdown, impeding a recovery from a pandemic-induced slump. Inflation is also rising, with the Malaysian central bank increasing interest rates this week for the fourth straight time. The leaders are not working together in this election.

Mahathir Mohammad, the former Prime Minister of Malaysia, during a press conference in Putrajaya, Malaysia on August 4, 2022. Mahathir, as well as opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim who leads the Pakatan Harapan party, both opposed conducting early elections due to the monsoon and flood season which could affect voter turnout or put voters in harm's way. Additionally, many voters had received bribes from the government to vote, Mahathir told CNBC in an exclusive interview last Thursday. watch nowThe government should be focused on weeding out corruption and fine-tuning its economic management of the country, Mahathir said. watch nowLike Mahathir, he said the government should be focusing on problems such as record-high food inflation.

☆ Malaysia's Mahathir fears Najib would walk free if graft-tainted party wins polls
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak speaks to journalists outside the Federal Court during a court break, in Putrajaya, Malaysia August 23, 2022. REUTERS/Lai Seng SinKUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Malaysia's veteran politician and opposition leader Mahathir Mohamad predicted on Tuesday that disgraced former prime minister Najib Razak would be released from jail if his graft-tainted ruling party wins an upcoming general election. "Should they be able to win and form the government, that is the first objective, not about the welfare of the people," Mahathir, who had two stints as prime minister, told a news conference. They were both prosecuted, along with other party leaders, after UMNO lost the 2018 election for the first time in Malaysia's history as voters punished the party for 1MDB and other corruption scandals. Investigators have said some $4.5 billion was stolen from 1MDB - co-founded by Najib during his first year as prime minister in 2009 - and that over $1 billion went to accounts linked to Najib.

☆ Former Malaysia deputy prime minister acquitted of graft charges - media
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Former Malaysian deputy prime minister and current president of the ruling party UMNO Ahmad Zahid Hamidi arrives at the Kuala Lumpur High Court complex for the court's decision on whether he will have to enter his defence or be acquitted of corruption and money laundering charges in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, January 24, 2022. REUTERS/Hasnoor HussainRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterKUALA LUMPUR, Sept 23 (Reuters) - A Malaysian high court acquitted a former deputy prime minister of 40 bribery charges, saying the prosecution had failed to provide enough evidence, state news agency Bernama reported on Friday. The UMNO party came back to power in 2020 after an alliance led by Mahathir Mohamad that won the 2018 election collapsed from infighting. Zahid has been urging Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who is also from the UMNO party, to call for early elections ahead of a September, 2023 deadline. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by A. Ananthalakshmi; Editing by Kanupriya KapoorOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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