Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition won the most seats in the weekend’s election, but no one party or coalition emerged with the 112 seat parliamentary majority necessary to form a government.
King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah met Anwar and Muhyiddin as well as newly elected members of parliament to canvas their views on who should lead the new government.
After a meeting of the royal households on Thursday, the king announced that Anwar would become prime minister because he had the support of the majority of Malaysia’s 222 members of parliament.
King Sultan Abdullah said the 75-year-old would be sworn in at a ceremony at the palace at 5pm.
RHM/PR