Malaysia’s ruling parties to sign pact for political stability

MALAYSIA’S ruling parties will sign a coalition agreement to ensure greater stability, in a boost for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim ahead of a confidence vote this month.

The pact will be signed once all parties have finalised the terms, Foreign Minister Zambry Abd Kadir said at a press conference in Putrajaya on Monday (Dec 5). Zambry is the secretary-general of Barisan Nasional, the second-largest bloc in Anwar’s unity government.

Anwar was named prime minister last month days after the country’s first-ever hung Parliament left rival parties scrambling to form new alliances. He now heads a government made up of at least four disparate political groups, and is set to test his strength when Parliament convenes on Dec 19.

It’s a risky move if Anwar doesn’t get a 112 seat majority during the confidence vote, which will push him to step down less than a month after becoming prime minister – the shortest-ever tenure in Malaysia’s history. It would then fall again on King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah to determine a new leader who he believes commands the majority. 

However, Anwar can propose to the king to dissolve Parliament and hold do-over elections. Ultimately, it will depend on the monarch on whether this would be the best move for the South-east Asian country.

Zambry said the deal could generate greater confidence in Anwar’s administration. “We have to take care of every party in this coalition government.” BLOOMBERG