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☆ Analysis: Gains for Malaysia's hardline Islamist party a challenge for new PM Anwar
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( A. Ananthalakshmi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/4] A pillion waves a Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) flag on the eve of Malaysia's general election at Permatang Pauh, Penang, Malaysia November 18, 2022. Anwar, who is ethnic Malay and Muslim, addressed race and religion in his first news conference as prime minister, promising to uphold Islam as the official religion of the country and the rights of the ethnic Malay majority, while also safeguarding the rights of all. Race and religion are thorny issues in Malaysia, where Muslim ethnic Malays form a majority in a country with significant ethnic Chinese and ethnic Indian minorities, most of them Hindu, Buddhist or Christian. As the biggest party in parliament, PAS could push for Islamisation and more affirmative action for Malays - a long-standing policy that Anwar has opposed, analysts said. "They see PAS as a clean party and its political leaders have no integrity problems," said Mohd Izani.

☆ Malaysia's Anwar begins work as PM after polarising election
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/3] Malaysia's newly appointed Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim greets his supporters as he leaves his news conference in Sungai Long, Selangor, Malaysia November 24, 2022. Office of Anwar Ibrahim/Afiq Hambali/Handout via REUTERSKUALA LUMPUR, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim is expected to start discussions on forming his cabinet on Friday as he begins work as prime minister at a challenging time, with the economy slowing and the country deeply split after a close election. Anwar, who was appointed by Malaysia's king following an inconclusive election, said that the people of Malaysia had long been awaiting change. Both men's coalitions failed to win a majority in Saturday's election, but Malaysia's constitutional monarch, King Al-Sultan Abdullah, appointed Anwar after speaking to several lawmakers. Markets surged on Thursday on the end of political deadlock, but investors will be monitoring how Anwar manages the aftermath of the election.

☆ Malaysia PM Anwar: We have seen a change that has awaited the people of Malaysia
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Malaysia's new Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said his swearing in was a change that Malaysians have waited for and pledged to keep Islam as the official religion of the country. The 75-year-old longtime opposition leader was sworn in on Thursday, capping a three-decade political journey from a protege of veteran leader Mahathir Mohamad to protest leader, a prisoner convicted of sodomy and opposition leader. Reporting by Rozanna Laitff; Writing by Kay Johnson; Editing by Kanupriya KapoorOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Anwar Ibrahim: Who is Malaysia's new prime minister?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Nov 24 (Reuters) - Malaysia's new prime minister, 75-year-old Anwar Ibrahim, was sworn in on Thursday, bringing to a close his three-decade quest for the job that had eluded him time and again and led to him spending nearly a decade in jail. As opposition leader, Anwar led tens of thousands of Malaysians in street protests in the 1990s against his mentor-turned-foe Mahathir Mohamad. Anwar started off as a firebrand Islamic youth leader before joining then prime minister Mahathir's United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), which leads the Barisan Nasional alliance. Anwar's appointment as prime minister brings an end to a political crisis after an election on Saturday ushered in an unprecedented hung parliament. Between stints as deputy prime minister in the 1990s and as official prime minister-in-waiting in 2018, Anwar spent nearly a decade in jail for sodomy and corruption on charges he says were politically motivated.

☆ Anwar Ibrahim's long road to prime minister of Malaysia
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Harish Sridharan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

** He had a meteoric political rise under Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who invited him to join the ruling coalition, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), in 1982. ** Finance minister from 1991 and deputy prime minister from 1993, the long-celebrated heir apparent to Mahathir fell out with his mentor in 1998. ** During the term of Prime Minister Najib Razak in 2015, Anwar was jailed for sodomy for the second time. ** Anwar and former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin each said they could form a government with support from other parties. ** Malaysia's king appointed Anwar as prime minister after a special meeting of his fellow hereditary sultans.

☆ Reaction to Anwar Ibrahim's appointment as Malaysian prime minister
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Malaysia's king appointed long-time opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister on Thursday, ending five days of unprecedented post-election crisis after inconclusive polls. Anwar's appointment caps a three-decade long political journey from a protege of veteran leader Mahathir Mohamad to protest leader, to a prisoner convicted of sodomy, to opposition leader and, finally, prime minister. The former finance minister and deputy prime minister will have to address soaring inflation and slowing growth, while calming ethnic tension that has flared since a Saturday election. ADIB ZALKAPLI, DIRECTOR AT POLITICAL RISK CONSULTANCY BOWERGROUPASIA:"With the appointment of Anwar as the 10th prime minister, this is a closure to the longest-running political crisis in Malaysia that began 24 years ago when he was sacked by the prime minister Mahathir Mohamad .... So it's an important closure, Anwar has been the longest-serving potential prime minister candidate.

☆ Reformist Anwar finally becomes Malaysia's prime minister
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( A. Ananthalakshmi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim speaks during an interview with Reuters in Tambun, Perak, Malaysia November 4, 2022. The political uncertainty came to an end on Thursday, as Malaysia's king appointed Anwar, 75, to be prime minister. His strained relationship with the veteran leader shaped Anwar's own career, as well as Malaysia's political landscape, for nearly three decades. FRIEND & FOEAnwar started off as a firebrand Islamic youth leader before joining the prime minister Mahathir's United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), which leads the Barisan Nasional alliance. With the people's vote and the king's choice, he finally became prime minister.

☆ Polarizing rhetoric in Malaysia election has made middle ground hard to see, professor says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | 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 EmailPolarizing rhetoric in Malaysia election has made middle ground hard to see, professor saysMeredith Weiss of University at Albany discusses the results of Malaysia's general election and the ideologies of its coalitions.

☆ Malaysia's wait for PM continues for fourth day as post-election crisis drags on
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Election workers prepare a polling station ahead of the polling day of Malaysia's general election at Permatang Pauh, Penang, Malaysia November 18, 2022. Malaysia's king will pick the new premier, after opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim and former premier Muhyiddin Yassin missed his Tuesday afternoon deadline to put together an alliance with other parties to form a government. The constitutional monarch plays a largely ceremonial role but can appoint a premier he believes will command a majority in parliament. Anwar's coalition won the most seats in the Saturday election with 82, while Muhyiddin's bloc won 73. Muhyiddin said he had declined the King's suggestion for the two rivals to work together to form a "unity government".

☆ Explainer: Who is Malaysia's king and why is he picking the prime minister?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

King Al-Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah ascended the throne in 2019 at the age of 59, becoming Malaysia's 16th monarch since it gained independence from Britain in 1957. The silver-haired, bespectacled Al-Sultan Abdullah became king after the surprise abdication of the previous king. The king appointed Muhyiddin prime minister in February 2020 when then-premier Mahathir Mohamad resigned due to coalition infighting. The king has summoned 30 lawmakers from the Barisan Nasional alliance for a meeting on Wednesday to determine who becomes prime minister. Whoever is eventually named prime minister is likely to face more political turbulence of the kind that has plagued the country in recent years.

"Let me make a decision soon," the king told reporters outside the national palace. The king had given political parties until 2 p.m. (0600 GMT) on Tuesday to put together alliances needed for a majority. Significant election gains by an Islamist party added to investors' fears, notably over policies on gambling and alcohol consumption. Its electoral gains have also raised fears in multicultural Malaysia, which has significant ethnic Chinese and ethnic Indian minorities following other faiths. Anwar's coalition won the most seats in the Saturday election with 82, while Muhyiddin's bloc won 73.

☆ Malaysia's 2022 election: Analyst discusses religious extremism
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | 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 EmailMalaysians who've moved from 'patronage politics' turned to the religiously extremist side: AnalystOh Ei Sun of Singapore Institute of International Affairs discusses the results of Malaysia's election and "patronage politics."

☆ CEO discusses results of Malaysia's 2022 election
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | 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 EmailMany will be watching the makeup of Malaysia's Cabinet, particularly the Finance Ministry: CEOGerald Ambrose of Abrdn Islamic Malaysia discusses the results of Malaysia's election, which ended in a hung Parliament.

☆ Explainer: What to expect as Malaysia's split election leaves scramble to form govt
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( Mei Mei Chu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/3] The logo of Malaysia's election commission is pictured at its headquarters in Putrajaya, Malaysia, October 20, 2022. REUTERS/Hasnoor HussainKUALA LUMPUR, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Malaysia's political leaders were scrambling to form a coalition government on Sunday after an election produced an unprecedented hung parliament, with no group able to claim a majority. Longtime opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim and former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin each said they could form a government with support from other parties, whom they did not identify. It made inroads in strongholds of Barisan, whose United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) - long Malaysia's dominant political force - made its worst showing ever. KING'S ROLEKing Al-Sultan Abdullah could potentially pick the next prime minister.

☆ Malaysia's political manoeuvring begins after indecisive election
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Voters queue up to cast their ballots during the general election in Bera of Pahang state, Malaysia, Nov. 19, 2022. Malaysia's political leaders scrambled on Sunday to secure support from rivals a day after a general election produced a hung parliament, with no coalition winning a parliamentary majority. Longtime opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim and former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin each said they could form a government with support from other parties, whom they did not identify. Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob's Barisan Nasional alliance - whose United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) had long been Malaysia's dominant political force - suffered its worst electoral defeat ever, winning just 30 of the 178 seats it vied for. As voters rejected UMNO and the multi-ethnic Barisan coalition it leads for the second election in a row, Muhyiddin's Perikatan Nasional coalition, in its first national contest, pulled support from Barisan's traditional base.

☆ Malaysia votes in general election, Anwar seen leading tight race
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-19 | by ( A. Ananthalakshmi | Rozanna Latiff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

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. Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s ruling Barisan coalition and another bloc led by former premier Muhyiddin Yassin are other leading contenders. Muhyiddin’s alliance was a junior partner in Ismail’s coalition government, and the two could come together again to block Anwar. That was on par with turnout at the same time in the previous election in 2018, reflecting the increase in voters, political analyst Bridget Welsh told Reuters. Anwar was the top choice for prime minister at 33%, followed by Muhyiddin at 26% and Ismail at 17% in the Merdeka survey.

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.

☆ Malaysia says back decision by Dutch court on MH17 sentencing
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Malaysia's Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Friday said his country supported the decision by a Dutch court to sentence three suspects for their role in the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17. The court on Thursday handed down life jail sentences to thee suspects, and ordered them to pay at least 16 million euros ($16.5 million) in compensation to relatives of the victims. Reporting by Mei Mei Chu Editing by Ed DaviesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ 'Criminal' for Barisan Nasional to hold elections during monsoon season: Fmr. Youth and Sports Minister
▼ + 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 Email'Criminal' for Barisan Nasional to hold elections during monsoon season: Fmr. Youth and Sports MinisterSyed Saddiq, Former Youth and Sports Minister of Malaysia says that the ruling party's decision to call for elections was a calculated one as low voter turnout would be in its favor, and that it was "highly irresponsible" for them to "force voters out" during the monsoon season.

☆ 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?

☆ MH17 verdict: 2 Russians, 1 Ukrainian convicted of murders
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

A Dutch court on Thursday convicted two Russians and a pro-Moscow Ukrainian separatist in absentia of the murders of 298 people who died in the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine. None of the defendants appeared for the trial that began in March 2020 and if they are convicted, it’s unlikely they will serve any sentence anytime soon. “The truth on the table — that is the most important thing,” said Anton Kotte, who lost his son, daughter-in-law and his 6-year-old grandson when MH17 was shot down. The most senior defendant convicted is Igor Girkin, a 51-year-old former colonel in Russia’s Federal Security Service, or FSB. Oleg Pulatovis the only one of the suspects who was acquited represented by defense lawyers at the trial.

☆ Dutch court says Russia had 'overall control' of separatists in Ukraine at time of MH17 downing
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Presiding Judge Hendrik Steenhuis inspects the reconstruction of the MH17 wreckage, as part of the murder trial ahead of the beginning of a critical stage, in Reijen, Netherlands, May 26, 2021. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw/PoolAMSTERDAM, Nov 17 (Reuters) - The Dutch court handling the trial of four suspects in the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 on Thursday said Russia had overall control of the separatist forces in eastern Ukraine at the time when the plane was shot down. "From half May 2014 Russia had so called overall control over the People's Republic of Donetsk," presiding judge Hendrik Steenhuis said referring to the region where the passenger flight was show down on July 17, 2014. In the ongoing ruling, the court had earlier said the plane was shot down by a Russian-made missile. Reporting by Stephanie van den Berg, Toby Sterling and Bart Meijer; Editing by Toby ChopraOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Dutch court convicts 2 Russians, 1 Ukrainian of murder in 2014 Malaysian jet downing over Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

President of the court Steenhuis (2ndL) talks prior to verdict in the trial of four men prosecuted for their involvement in the MH17 downing case, in Badhoevedorp on November 17, 2022. A Dutch court on Thursday convicted two Russians and a pro-Moscow Ukrainian separatist in absentia of the murders of 298 people who died in the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine and sentenced them to life imprisonment. Outside the court, planes could be heard taking off and landing nearby on a cold, gray day. Oleg Pulatovis the only one of the suspects who was acquited represented by defense lawyers at the trial. They accused prosecutors of "tunnel vision" in basing their case on the findings of an international investigation into the downing while ignoring other possible causes.

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.

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