ISTANBUL
Amid political deadlock over a new government, Malaysia’s royal family will meet on Thursday to find a way out of the current situation.
The royal palace, known as Istana Negara, said in a statement that the Council of Rulers will meet tomorrow morning where King Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah will brief and seek opinions from other eight members of the council.
The development comes after former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin-led National Alliance or Perikatan Nasional (PN) refused to accept the king’s advice on forming a “unity government” with Anwar Ibrahim, whose Alliance of Hope, or Pakatan Harapan (PH), secured most seats in the parliament but short of forming a government on its own.
The PN has secured the support of 73 lawmakers, including 22 from the Islamic Party of Malaysia, or Parti Islam Se Malaysia (PAS).
Malaysia has a hung parliament for the first time in its 59-year history following the Nov. 19 general elections.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency from Kuala Lumpur, a political observer, who wished to remain anonymous due to ongoing political negotiations in the country, said the “political situation is tense.”
“We are so polarized … the election results have shown it,” he said.
The results of the 15th general elections showed the majority of ethnic Malay voters and those siding with Islamist parties supporting the Muhyiddin-led PN.
“Anwar’s vote share shows that not just Muslims but non-Muslims have put their weight behind the former deputy prime minister,” said the observer.
While the final decision-making authority over the establishment of the new administration lies with the king, “he cannot make a decision on his own” to appoint the 10th prime minister of the Southeast Asian country, the observer noted.
“There is impasse; the Council of Rulers, nine of them including the king, will try to find ways … possibly for a unity government to which Anwar Ibrahim has already agreed but Muhyiddin Yassin has refused,” he said.
On whether the support of National Front, or Barisan Nasional (BN), with 30 lawmakers, will be a decisive factor, the observer said: “This bloc is divided from inside the same way Sarawak Parties Alliance, or Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), with 23 seats is divided.”
The observer did not rule out the formation of a minority government led by Ibrahim “but with an agreement that opposition will not move any no-confidence motion against any such setup.”
Anwar and Yassin met the monarch on Tuesday after an extended deadline to form the government for which any potential prime ministerial candidate should gather the support of at least 112 lawmakers from the 220-seat parliament.
While the PH has confirmed the support of 82 lawmakers, political observers believe independents can jump to its side taking it to 86 or above, but yet short of 112.
After meeting the king a day earlier, Ibrahim, 75, had told media outside the palace that the monarch “desired to form a strong government that is more inclusive in terms of race, religion or region that would allow the government to focus on resolving problems … and resuscitate our economy.”
The king met leaders of the BN on Wednesday morning. There is no word about what transpired.
The BN’s role is seen as crucial in any new government while the GPS had indicated it may also support a coalition of the PN and BN with Yassin as premier but there is no final decision yet.
