ANWAR IBRAHIM

Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s Malay party has won a landslide victory in a state election, defeating its allies in the ruling coalition as well as the opposition ahead of national polls.

A Malaysian southern state will hold elections Saturday in a test for Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s Malay party as it faces off against allies in the government for the first time amid a widening rift.

Malaysia’s main opposition leader is calling for information found in the Pandora Papers data leak to be discussed in Parliament, after learning the country’s former finance minister and several current officials might have been involved with offshore firms set up in tax havens.

Malaysia’s new Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has been sworn in, bringing back the rule of the country’s longest-governing political party.

Malaysia’s first transfer of power in six decades was hailed as a milestone for transparency, free speech and racial tolerance in the multiethnic Southeast Asian country. But the new coalition collapsed amid an all-too-familiar mix of political intrigue and horse trading. Elements of the old regime were brought into a new government that also proved short-lived, leading to a third prime minister in just 18 months and the return of the United Malays National Organisation to the country’s top post

Former Deputy Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob appeared to have won majority support to be Malaysia’s new leader.

Malaysia’s king is calling for an end to political bickering as he begins the process of selecting a new prime minister following the resignation of Muhyiddin Yassin.

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has resigned less than 18 months in power, apologizing for his shortcomings but blaming those he said were “hungry for power.”.

Malaysia’s king has rebuked Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s government for misleading Parliament over the status of coronavirus emergency measures, sparking renewed calls for the embattled leader to resign.

Malaysia's king is holding consultations with political leaders, including former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, amid public concern over a sharp spike in coronavirus cases that has led to a second nationwide lockdown. Such consultations are unusual and come ahead of the Aug. 1 expiration of a coronavirus emergency declared by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad approved the emergency in early January, but critics said it was a political ruse to help the embattled prime minister stay in power despite challenges to his leadership.

A man walks in front of a poster of UMNO ( United Malays National Organisation) President Ahmad Zahid at UMNO headquarter in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Monday, Oct. 26, 2020. A key ally has reaffirmed support for Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's government, offering him a respite after his failed bid to declare a coronavirus emergency, but his political survival still hangs in the balance. The UMNO, the biggest party in the unelected governing coalition was angry at being sidelined amid rivalry with Muhyiddin's own Malay party. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

A key ally has reaffirmed support for Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's government, offering him a respite after his failed bid to declare a coronavirus emergency, but his political survival still hangs in the balance. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)KUALA LUMPUR – A key ally's reaffirmed support for Malaysia's prime minister offers him a respite after his failed bid to declare a coronavirus emergency, but his political survival still hangs in the balance. “Muhyiddin can now cling on to his political survival only at the whims of UMNO, which sees unresolved factional struggles. The king met Anwar earlier this month but has postponed meetings with party leaders to verify Anwar’s claim of a majority support. said Muhyiddin’s emergency plan was really an admission of defeat but he received “an indirect slap on the face” from the king.

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin attends a parliament session at lower house in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on July 13, 2020. Muhyiddin said Monday, Oct. 26, 2020 his government was prioritizing protecting people from COVID-19 amid a new outbreak after the king rejected an emergency proposal that critics saw as an undemocratic attempt to hold onto power. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin attends a parliament session at lower house in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on July 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia's prime minister faced calls to resign from both sides of the political aisle Monday after the king rebuffed his proposal for a coronavirus emergency that critics saw as an undemocratic attempt to hold onto power. If he is unable to pass the bill, pressure will build for him to resign or call new elections. Calls for Muhyiddin to resign were being made on both sides. He wrote on Facebook that “Muhyiddin should step down.”Opposition lawmaker Wong Chen called for the premier to resign or fire ministers who proposed the emergency.

Malaysia's King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah waves as he leaves National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020. National Palace statement says Malay rulers has decided not to accede to Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's request to declare a state of emergency. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Malaysia's King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah waves as he leaves National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020. National Palace statement says Malay rulers has decided not to accede to Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's request to declare a state of emergency. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia's king on Sunday rejected a proposal by embattled Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to declare a state of emergency to fight a new outbreak of the coronavirus. The king can declare a state of emergency that allows the country to be governed through ordinances that cannot be challenged in court. Some media outlets have cited sources as saying that Muhyiddin wanted an “economic emergency” to merely suspend Parliament, without any curfew.

Anwar met the king Tuesday in a bid to form a new government after claiming he had secured a majority in Parliament. Anwar said he showed he has the support of over 120 lawmakers, which would allow him to unseat Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. It said the king advised Anwar “to abide by and respect the legal process" based on the constitution. Allies in his Malay-centric coalition also denied supporting Anwar, and branded Anwar a “desperado” for seeking to wrest power during the pandemic. Mahathir became prime minister a second time.

Malaysia's opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim gestures as he leaves after a press conference in Kuala Lumpur, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020. Anwar said he has secured a majority in parliament to form a new government that is strong, stable and formidable." (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Malaysia's opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim gestures as he leaves after a press conference in Kuala Lumpur, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020. Anwar said he has secured a majority in parliament to form a new government that is strong, stable and formidable." (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said Wednesday he has secured a majority in Parliament to form a new government, but parties in the ruling coalition called it a “cheap publicity" stunt. Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said Anwar must provide evidence, and “until proven otherwise, my National Alliance government still stands firm and I am still prime minister.” He urged Malaysians to stay calm. Once a high flyer in the ruling party, Anwar was convicted of homosexual sodomy and corruption after a power struggle with Mahathir in 1998.

But he backtracked in a statement Friday, saying that social media users are exempted. “The government of Malaysia stresses that it stands by the principle of media independence and individual freedom on social media,” Saifuddin said. Many Malaysians and opposition lawmakers have slammed Saifuddin's announcement as affecting videos produced on social media. Over 80% of Malaysia’s 32 million people are social media users. Police also questioned an activist about a social media post alleging mistreatment of refugees at immigration detention centers.

KUALA LUMPUR Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin narrowly won a motion to boot the parliament speaker Monday, scraping through the first test of his support nearly five months after taking power. Its success could thwart the opposition's bid of a no-confidence vote against Muhyiddin, analysts said. Lawmakers engaged in heated debates over Muhyiddins unprecedented proposal to replace the house speaker with his own candidate. Then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad resigned in protest of the plan, and filed a motion of no-confidence against his former party ally. Chin said the speaker replacement suggested parliament cannot act as an effective check and balance against Muhyiddin.

Malaysia's former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin shows a document after submitting an application for a new political party on August 9, 2016. "His majesty has decreed that the process of appointing a prime minister cannot be delayed," it added. "I only ask for all Malaysians to accept the decision announced by the national palace," Muhyiddin told reporters at his home. Former UNMO prime minister Najib Razak is on trial for corruption. UMNO, which Mahathir led from 1981 to 2003 during a previous stint as prime minister, supports Malay nationalism.

Malaysia's ruling alliance collapsed this week after 94-year-old Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad resigned and dozens of lawmakers defected in an audacious attempt to form a new government. The move had thwarted a pre-election agreement by Mahathir to hand over power to his named successor, Anwar Ibrahim. He made no mention of Anwar in his televised speech, but reiterated that the lower house of Parliament should be the one to pick the prime minister. Mahathir spoke as the king finished consulting all 222 lawmakers to determine who they support as prime minister or if they want fresh elections. The king's role is largely ceremonial in Malaysia, but he appoints the person with majority support in Parliament as prime minister.