RULING COALITION IN MALAYSIA LOSES GROUND TO RIVALS: EARLY RESULTS

Pakatan Harapan chairman Anwar Ibrahim.

Sat 19 November 2022:

In Malaysia’s hotly contested general election, early polls show a close fight between the coalition led by former Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and the multiracial alliance of the opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, led by his United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), suffered upsets in several seats, indicating a shift in support to Muhyiddin’s Malay-based Perikatan Nasional, or National Alliance.

The election commission had declared winners for 150 of the 222 parliamentary seats as of 18:00 GMT. Anwar’s Alliance, the head of the opposition, took the lead with 50 seats, followed closely by Muhyiddin’s Alliance with 48 seats.

Depending on post-election coalitions, the corrupt Barisan Nasional coalition, which ruled Malaysia from independence from Britain until 2018, may still take power.

Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who at 97 is in charge of a distinct Malay movement, was one among the major election losers. According to the election commission, Mahathir finished fourth out of five candidates in his long-held electorate on the island resort of Langkawi.

By 4pm local Pacific time (08:00 GMT), at least 70% of Malaysia’s 21.1 million eligible voters had had cast their votes, according to the election commission. It hasn’t provided the total as of yet.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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