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KUALA LUMPUR (BLOOMBERG) – Malaysia’s king will play a key role in what will happen now that opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has claimed he has majority support to form a government.
The monarch, known as Yang di-Pertuan Agong, plans to hold an audience with Datuk Seri Anwar soon to give him a chance to prove his claim, after postponing a meeting on Tuesday (September 22) for health reasons. There is no exact time yet.
Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has maintained that he remains the legitimate leader and denounced Anwar’s attempt to destabilize the country’s politics.
Here are some ways the King might decide to resolve the deadlock:
CALL ELECTIONS
The King has the power to dissolve Parliament, after which an election must be held within 60 days.
Lawmakers from the ruling and opposition coalitions have called for snap elections to resolve the political uncertainty once and for all, as Tan Sri Muhyiddin took office in March after the collapse of a government that took power after the 2018 elections. .
Muhyiddin could also call an election, which he previously said he could do if his coalition wins Sabah’s state elections this Saturday.
LOOK FOR A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE
The monarch could request the president of the Lower House to advance the next session of Parliament, currently scheduled for November 2, to carry out a vote of confidence earlier.
The opposition has been planning to challenge Muhyiddin’s support in Parliament for months, but the president has repeatedly placed the motion at the bottom of the agenda.
In July, the Prime Minister showed that he had a slim majority in Parliament when he replaced the Speaker.
APPOINT PRIME MINISTER
After former leader Mahathir Mohamad abruptly resigned in February, the king spent days talking to each lawmaker to find out who he supports, leading to Muhyiddin’s appointment.
This time, there is no leadership vacuum, so the monarch may need to urge the current prime minister to step down if Anwar has the backing of a majority of lawmakers in Parliament.
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