Malaysia’s tenth Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, has taken the oath of office. On November 24, 2022, at the palace in Kuala Lumpur, the 75-year-old senior politician took the oath of office in front of King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.
After Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition won the most seats in the weekend election, King Sultan Abdullah assumed leadership of the process of selecting a new government. Both PH and the rival conservative Malay-Muslim Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, which had the second-highest number of MPs and was led by former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, started discussions to establish a government.
In order to get their opinions on who should head the new administration, the King met with Anwar, Muhyiddin, and recently elected members of parliament. Anwar was named as the leader following a gathering of the royal houses on November 24 because the monarch believed he had the backing of Malaysia’s 222 members of the parliament.
King Sultan Abdullah urged all politicians to cooperate for the good of the nation, saying that there are “no absolute winners and no absolute losers.” Anwar promised to carry out the responsibilities assigned to him with “utmost humility” following his inauguration. According to the ambitions of the people, “I will carry out this enormous obligation based on the people’s aspirations,” he declared.
Reforms
PH supporters continued to chant “reform” at rallies, hoping for a government that will combat corruption, uphold democratic freedoms, and guarantee the independence of crucial institutions like the legislature and the judiciary.
In response to a potential economic slowdown, Anwar promised supporters that his administration would also reduce the size of the cabinet and lower ministerial pay and benefits.
Votes
A great number of Malaysians were present in the election, according to official results. PH received 5.81 million votes, followed by PN with 4.67 million and BN with 3.43 million.
A constitutional amendment that gave 18-year-olds the right to vote and established automatic voter registration resulted in an expansion of the electoral roll, which made the conclusion even more uncertain.
Beginning in 1971, when he founded the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim began his political career as a student activist. He later led demonstrations against rural poverty and other socioeconomic issues. When Malaysia gained independence in 1957, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), which has been in power since then, saw his activism and convinced him to join.
Anwar had a reputation as a charming, ambitious, and reform-minded politician as he advanced swiftly through the ranks to become Finance Minister and deputy Prime Minister.
Research Associate