Malaysian PM wins confidence motion

Vote cements Anwar's legitimacy as support shown for unity government

Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim won a parliamentary confidence vote on Monday, cementing his legitimacy as the head of the unity government.

A total of 148 parliamentarians gave their backing to Anwar as the country's 10th prime minister.

This is equivalent to about 60 percent of the 222-member Lower House. The motion was passed shortly after 6 pm through a voice vote in a special sitting. Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof tabled the motion for the vote.

In a news briefing after the special sitting, Digital Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the voice vote was "enough" and that it was a "testimony" that most parliamentarians support Anwar, according to a social media post by the Singapore news network Channel News Asia.

Johari Abdul, former parliamentary whip of the ruling Pakatan Harapan, or PH, coalition, was elected parliamentary Speaker. Barisan Nasional's, or BN, Ramli Md Nor and PH's Alice Lau were elected deputy speakers.

Anwar won the confidence vote after a lengthy debate among 12 parliamentarians, with the opposition Perikatan Nasional, or PN, coalition questioning the legitimacy of Anwar's government.

The positive vote will have come as a relief to many locals who want a more stable government, one that can help forge economic recovery.

It was the first day that Parliament had sat since Anwar became Prime Minister on Nov 24. King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah consented to Anwar's appointment after elections five days earlier produced a hung parliament. While PH captured 82 seats in the elections, it failed to obtain the minimum number of 112 seats to form a government. Its closest rival, PN, which won 73 seats, refused to be part of the unity government.

Political impasse

The king had to resolve the impasse as political parties failed to form alliances that could build the next government.

Shortly after he was sworn in as prime minister, Anwar said that a vote of confidence would be held to show that his alliance has a majority and to prove the legitimacy of his government.

On Friday, leaders of five political parties signed a memorandum of understanding to support Anwar's administration.

These parties are PH, BN and the three Eastern Malaysian-based parties: Gabungan Parti Sarawak, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah and Parti Warisan.

With Anwar winning the confidence vote, the first order of the day for the parliament is to debate next year's federal budget.

His government is seeking RM56 billion ($12.6 billion) in supplementary spending, a fraction of the RM372.3 billion budget that was tabled by Anwar's predecessor Ismail Sabri Yaakob in October, just before Parliament was dissolved.

PRIME SARMIENTO in Hong Kong